The Heart of the Story
by Rocks-my-socks
Summary: To get to the heart of the story, you have to go back to the beginning... King Robert VIII has been on the throne for nearly twenty years and has no male heir to secure his line. He still wants a son, even if that means divorcing the queen to get one. To unify England in the meantime however, the Duke of Manchester will be betrothed to Princess Mary Crawley. AUTudor!Downton.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: Downton Abbey, HBO's The Tudors and all characters featured in this story do not belong to me. I can only claim the few original aspects and twists that this story will take.

_A note on historical accuracy, characters, society and the craziness that is this fic. _

Hey all! So with all the wonderful AU's around, I thought I'd add this one to the bunch. I got the idea for Tudor!Downton a while back but dismissed the idea as I couldn't get it to work. It never really went away however. So, I put a little thought in to it, sketched a plot and decided to go with it. I have an ending planned and know how I am going to get there so it should work. This is going to be a long fic.

It's been fun but difficult to line up the Tudor/Downton characters and merge them into one. Downton personalities over ride Tudor ones though and I hope I have kept good characterization. Thus while the actions of Lord Chancellor Carson are at times extreme, shall we say, I hope you guys find them believable and sprung out of his love for those he cares for. Likewise, Robert won't have six wives. But Coberts, don't get to comfortable... he won't just be having the one...

One of the joys of this fic so far is setting the characters in a society with different values. Thus, the most beautiful Crawley sister is now exquisite princess Edith. A down side of this is that the women are more under the men's control than ever, not that it will keep any of them from doing exactly what they want. The strong Downton women are still strong.

As for historical accuracy, take it with a piece of salt. In order to keep the Crawleys in Downton mode, Queen Cora is from the New World as an example. Obviously, this wouldn't happen in Tudor times... but yeah... pinch of salt. All inaccuracies can be put down to the fact this is AU... at least, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Now on with the actual story...

**Chapter 1: March 1528.**

"I do not why I should marry her mother. The crown is by rights mine."

"Matthew! You will hold your tongue if you know what is good for you!"The Dowager Duchess of Manchester scolded her son and looked about the stone room as if it had ears.

"Well, it is – not that you have ever wanted me to have it, until now. Not that I have ever wanted it," he told her as he wondered over to the window. The sun was struggling to break through the clouds for him that day... well it was hardly surprising, he thought.

He was a man grown and his mother was not going to force him into this. Neither was any king for that matter. But how did one go about rejecting a marriage offer from the king and his eldest daughter?

He had been about to turn away from the windows when he at last found there was a reason to smile in the gardens as well as another cause to say no to this ridiculous marriage. Her name was Lavinia Swire.

Miss Lavinia Swire.

Seeing the expression on his sons face change so, Duchess Isobel knew what he was looking at before she crossed to his side. The political matriarch in her told her to rip her son from the window, box his ears and give him some homes truths. He would marry the princess; he would be King of England as his great grandfather had been before him.

But whenever it came to Matthew it was a very rare thing the political matriarch won out. Too often she was kept in check by the doting mother – who had never managed to box her son's ears.

It was with sympathy that she put a hand on her boy's shoulder. She could see why he had so fallen for Miss Swire. With her soft doe eyes, pale skin and beautiful red hair, she was the greatest beauty her son had ever seen. Not only that, but she was, Isobel knew, devoted to the Duke.

But a duchess? No...

"You know you cannot marry her. If you won't marry the princess, even then, you cannot marry her. Miss Lavinia is no duchess."

"She will be if I raise her high enough. If I wed her today, tonight... Then this nonsense can come to an end," He declared.

Isobel sighed. He was being petulant. They both knew it. And there was only one way to deal with him when he was in such a mood. Isobel curtsied to her son.

"If there is to be a secret marriage tonight, please send me a note. I shall put on my best dress and support you, whatever comes. However, please send a note likewise if you come to your senses. I'd rather enjoy a good night's sleep."

With that, she left the room and her son. But it was a long time before Matthew followed.

X x x

"Are you sure this should happen now, my lord? Should we not be focusing on the marriage of our daughter Mary, with Lord Matthew arriving in not a week's time?"

Queen Cora was as young and beautiful in the eyes of her people as she had ever been, and as she walked around the royal park with her arm linked through her husbands, she felt more than a few approving sets of eyes on her.

After all, she was, for a fourth time large with child and showing at last. The promise of a prince seemed certain though it did make her wonder why they were inviting Lord Matthew Plantagenet to court to marry their eldest daughter at all.

Robert's face creased in annoyance. "We cannot know if he will arrive yet. Our Lord Duke is keeping us waiting. The King of France desires a wife quickly. This is a good match for Edith. She has been brought up as a princess and should be a queen. Sweetheart, I understand your reservations."

"But will send my daughter away regardless."

He sighed. "You were sent away from the New World when you came to marry me. Have we two not been happy these past nineteen years?"

His plan had been to distract her. And it worked. "We have. Of course, we have." She stroked his arm affectionately.

"And so will our princess. Edith will be Queen of the May everyday from now on, the greatest poets in France will write odes to her beauty so sweet that in five hundred years they will still be sung," he reassured her. The two of them smile at one another, but she knew he was unsettled. Not on Edith's behavealf however.

Nearly two decades as his queen meant Cora knew every shade in her husband's attitudes.

"Of course, the Duke will come," she returned to their earlier conversation.

"He will if he knows what is good for him. Mary is seventeen. It is time she was wed."

"And so she will be. _She will be_."

X x x

Sir Anthony Strallan held his feathered cap with in his hands. He would have to put it back on before he went in to the Princess' apartment but he felt too hot and nervous for some reason. His hands were ridiculously clammy. It was utterly foolish. Why should he be nervous of this young girl? But then he was just a knight... who had been away from court for the best part of a decade... and she was a princess of the realm, born and bred at Greenwich.

His mind strayed to the last time he was at court. When he had been courting the thoroughly adorable Lady Maud and when he had won her hand and her heart. Every time he recalled her face, the wound to his heart was as fresh as the day he sobbed goodbye at her bed side. He had lost a child and a wife that day. The only mercy was he would never have to go through that again.

For he would never love another. Not the way he had loved her.

"Sir Anthony Strallan!" he was announced. And then he was strolling into the apartment of the princess.

When he walked in, he saw the princess was not on her own. Instead she was surrounded by her ladies and one of them had been playing soft music for her on the virginals before he entered. But the moment that he walked in, it stopped and they all watched him save the young girl sitting by the window looking out of it. He felt terribly conscious of himself, of his attitude, even of the way he breathed...

How was he meant to address the Princess if she would not address him?

After a wait of what could not have been more than twenty seconds but what felt a life time, he knew he had to break protocol.

"Your Royal Highness, if I might present myself to you? My name is Sir Anthony Strallan-"

"I know very well who you are," she said, her tongue clearly sharp that day. But for the first time since he had entered the room, she turned to face him and he saw what everyone said was true.

The second daughter of the king was indeed the most exquisite beauty with her fair hair, pale skin and brown eyes. How his majesty could bare to send her from his side, he did not know.

"I remember you from when I was a child," Edith said more softly.

A soft smile appeared on Anthony's already gentle features. He was not like the other creatures of her fathers. As much as she wanted to send the man who was to be her jailer away without so much as hearing him out, she found she was unable to do so.

"You were no more than five years of age when I left."

"I have a good memory," she said to him and he nodded.

"So I see. Princess Edith, I do not mean to distress you, in anyway," he said wishing to soothe her obvious agitation.

"There is nothing you can do about that. Your being here does distress me, the reason you have come distresses me. My ladies playing soothes me, as do my devotions. I will pray for strength this afternoon."

"And the meek shall inherit the earth," he murmured to her before looking downwards. Did one quote proverbs at royals, even one considerably younger than themselves?

"So I have heard it said, my lord." The two of them lapsed into an uneasy silence.

"I will meet with your father this afternoon, to make the necessary arrangements for our voyage, your household and such. I think that many of your ladies will be able to stay with you."

"For the first month, perhaps. But not indefinitely. Sir Anthony, I beg you speak of such matters to my father, write them down and allow me to read them at my leisure but do not talk of my departure to me before I have summoned the courage to face it," she was intensely aware that time was running out. She had to find it with in herself soon or she was going to make quite the spectacular of herself when that day came.

She dreaded it all. Leaving her friends and family, the court, England. France was not her choice.

For the first time she met his eyes and was almost surprised by how blue they were – how deep they were and the sorrow and wisdom she found there.

"If you would allow, Princess, I think you have found your courage and that over half your father's knights don't half the courage in their little finger as you do in your heart."

He watched her swallow. She appeared quite taken back and he would if she had ever been told she was brave before. But she was. And he could see it.

"I will, of course, do as you command and deliver our plans to you no later than this time tomorrow."

"I thank you."

Bowing, he smile once more at her.

"Your Royal Highness."

"Good day to you, Sir Anthony," she replied, dismissing him. But somehow it wasn't quite enough, and as he backed away from her, she found her voice once more. "And welcome back to court!"

X x x

As the young women made her way down the hall with her two ladies maid behind her, in the middle of the corridor an opening appeared as servants, lords and ladies alike made room for her.

It was like the parting of the red sea.

"Wait here," she commanded the ladies as she knocked on the door of the Lord Chancellor.

"Enter," a deep voice called and the dark haired beauty did so.

The relationship between the two had been remarked upon by the courtiers for years. It was not every minister who had the respect of the princess to the point she knocked on his door before she entered their rooms.

"I do hope I have not come to call at a bad time."

"There is no such thing as a bad time for you to call on me, Your Royal Highness. It is an honour to receive you night or day."

"That does sound rather more risqué than I think you intended it to but I never the less thank you for the sentiment," Princess Mary said in her clear cut voice with a warm, affectionate smile on her face.

Carson rose, took her hand and kissed it before bowing.

"Your Royal Highness, what can I do for you?"

"You can give me what I always seek from you. An honest opinion," she said crossing to the fire place and warming herself by it. March was drawing to a close but they were still a long way off from high summer and she had felt the cold that year particularly.

"As you wish."

"The Plantagenet marriage. Will it go? Should it go?"

Carson's brow furrowed and Mary did not know if that was a good sign or not. He was deep in thought – but he did not like the idea. That was plain to see already.

"May I?" he said looking to his chair and she nodded.

Once he was sitting comfortably, he sighed. "Beloved Princess, I watched you grow up and you know I want the very best for you and I cannot pretend to you I believe this upstart duke is the best."

"Carson, his great grandfather was king and there are many who would argue the Crawley's are the upstarts. We've reigned for not twenty years yet."

Carson waved that aside. "As long as the crown of England is on your fathers head, and he says Lord Matthew is the upstart, then that is the truth. If I had my way then you would marry a prince, of France or Spain even, a good catholic prince for my princess. But... as you say, we are not twenty years into your fathers reign. And no one wants to return to the evil days of civil war, Your Royal Highness. For England, I desire that the houses of Plantagenet and Crawley join. As king and queen together, your rule would be unassailable. You'd be safe. But for yourself, I cannot desire this. You deserve more."

"My feelings exactly," she muttered as she looked into the embers of the fire place. "Still, I suppose I should at least meet him. And then, if I do not... desire him?"

"There are always ways of dealings with such unpleasant situations...if you cannot abide the thought of marrying him, we'll simply find a way to be rid of the Duke of Manchester."

Princess Mary smiled. "And people wonder why the king holds you in such high regard."

"I hope he does, my lady."

"Of course. As long as we're talking about people who hold you in high regard, you might take a trip to the nursery today or tomorrow. I heard Lady Hughes and Princess Sybil discussing this summer's progress and my sister has grown again. If you were to increase Lady Hughes' allowance, for my sister's clothes, you might find you have made two women very happy today."

"Your Royal Highness, I do not know what you mean."

"Of course, you don't. Another reason my father trusts you so."

X x x

The meek widow of about twenty five went in to the apartments of the queen. She had never thought she was going to find herself back here. When she had wed her lord she had supposed she would leave court forever to be his lady... but life did not always work out the way you wanted it to.

That was something she knew well enough.

"Lady Jane," she heard herself being addressed and was shaken out of her thoughts. She had hoped against hope that the Mistress of the Robes would have changed when she had been gone.

Apparently not.

She bowed to Lady O'Brien.

"Her majesty is just rising and will be out presently. You will not address her until she speaks to you. When you did speak you will do so quietly, and cause no distress to the queen, for she is in a delicate condition."

"Yes, Lady O'Brien."

It was at that moment that the queen arrived, coming out of her chambers in a lilac gown and a French hood on. She looked quite well to the eyes of Lady Jane Moorsum who had had a child herself.

When she had been speaking with the queen's first lady, she had been quite nervous about what was to come – but as soon as the queen saw her, her expression show sympathy.

"Lady Moorsum, welcome back," she said as she crossed the room and took her hands. "The King and I were so very sad to learn of your husband's death in service of the crown. He was a good man and we all must love and cherish his memory."

Jane nodded. "It is kind of you to say my lady," she blinked.

"You are, of course, to come straight back in to my service. I will not patronize you by asking that you conduct yourself in a manner that reflects the dignity of his majesty's court for I know I have no need. I only ask that you swear once more on the holy bible to serve us both as you should and change."

Crossing to the Latin text that stood in the queen's present chamber, she bowed her head, repeated the oath she had taken as a teen and then looked back to the queen. The two of them shared a smile.

"Perhaps Lady O'Brien might arrange some new dresses for you."

"I have them right here, your majesty."

"What would I do without you?" she said as she bestowed a smile on her favourite lady.

Lady O'Brien curtsied and bowed her head.

"His Majesty," was the announcement as the door to Queen Cora's door opened.

Robert strolled in to his wife's chambers with all the confidence of a man who had been king for twenty years. Not a day had gone passed when he had not come here at one stage or another, but he was rarely as taken aback as he was then.

"Ahh, Lady Moorsum, you are back with us already," he said to her after offering his queen a smile.

"I arrived just this hour, your majesty."

"She has, however, already rejoined my household, Robin," Cora explained.

"I am glad. And how is your son? Frederick, was it?"

"He is staying in the country with Lord Moorsums parents. He is a comfort to them."

"I'm glad," Robert nodded. A silence fell and Cora nodded. Her ladies left the room.

The king watched them as they did.

She sat down. "What is it?" she asked.

"A letter. The Duchess of Manchester pays homage to her queen and king and reassures us she is doing all she can to bring her son about to the union of our two houses. The fact she has to bring her brat about is preposterous. There are kings, princes and dukes all over Europe who would come today to marry Mary."

"Yes, but all of them knew they were to be king from the day they were born. Our Duke of Manchester is facing everything he has ever known changing. His delay is no slur on our Mary, but it is a sign of a careful and cautious man. I have to say as one who married into the royal life I think I rather like those traits," she said to him, looking him straight in the eye. So many people feared him. Not Cora though.

His rage which had been quite tangible when he came into the room softened.

"Darling, if you do not like him, trump up some charges and be done with it," Cora suggested as she shook her head. "Whatever, Mary must be settled and soon, especially with Edith leaving for France now. Your excuse to send Edith in Mary's place was she was to be engaged, that she had been promised already. She must marry, Robert."

"The poor fellow has done nothing wrong but be born of the wrong blood line, I know it in my heart. But... yes. Darling, you are right. Whether by Mary or Matthew's will or against both of them, this marriage will go. It is right."

"So stop looking for faults. And do not give up hope," she said as she put her hand over her bulging gown. "For here is where your true heir lies."

Cupping her face, he kissed her deeply.

X x x

"Here are your gowns, as well as your hoods. At all times you will wear these when you are waiting on her majesty," Lady O'Brien told the widow as she settled her into the chambers she would be sleeping in from now on.

Not once since they had left the king and queen had the chief lady in waiting of the queen's bed chamber looked at the new arrival.

"Of course, I remember much of the protocol here. I am sure it will not take too long for me to catch up once more," she said to her. "Is there something the matter? Lady O'Brien, have I done something to offend you?"

"Yes. Yes, you have. I can't believe you would have forgotten. Or did you think no one knew who comforted the king during Her Majesty's confinement with Princess Sybil?"

Jane looked down and took a deep breath.

"See, now you remember," Sarah smirked before her expression turned slightly sinister. "I have devoted my life to her majesty. I won't see her hurt and won't allow anyone else to hurt her neither. You play meek so well, don't you, Lady Jane... but hear this. You will be watched every moment. If you should reignite your friendship with his majesty, you will find yourself on the way back to the country sooner than you wish to be. Do you understand?"

Without meeting Lady O'Brien eyes, Jane nodded.

"Very good."

_Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Have you seen Lady Hughes?" Such a question was only going to get one response in the palace stables.

"No, but I can go and fetch her for you if you would like, my lady."

"Oh please don't," the breathless young princess begged as she came round to the side of the mare that the young groom stood on. She immediately begun to stroke the gentle brown animal.

The young Irish groom smiled as he saw her face light up.

"You enjoy riding Princess?"

"I did when I was younger. I had a nasty fall when I was seven though," she said as she found the parting in her hair. "See the scar?"

Tom nodded. There was something hesitant about her, yet not so in that moment...

"And you never got back up on to the horse."

Sybil shook her head.

"I – I did not want to as a child and when we went on progress, my mother and I rode in a litter together," she said. Sybil did not know why but she could not meet his eyes at that moment.

"And do you still not want to get up on the horse now?" he asked her.

"No – no, the more I see other people on horses, the more I begin to think I would like to ride as well."

"Well, then – I can teach you."

"I think I should know your name first."

"Tom – Tom Branson," he told her with a wide smile.

"I'm Prin-"

"Princess Sybil. Yes, I know who you are."

He had got to court six month previously and he had not seen a lot of her – but he had heard all about her and that had been enough to make him rather curious, he had to say.

His experience of the two elder princesses had told him the two of them knew just who they were and acted the part. However, as silly as it seemed, Sybil, now that she stood before him, reminded him of the girls he had met when he had been at home in Ireland. If he had not been told she was a princess he did not know if he would have guessed.

Her gown was stained, her hair was fraying and her cap was slight off sided. At fourteen, Sybil was soon going to be the despair of the court. The only redeeming, lady like feature he had heard about her was that she was a diligent reader. And he knew if she read too much then even that was going to turn against her.

He had never thought he would feel sorry for a princess.

But suddenly he did.

"Well now the two of us know who one another are, perhaps you can-"

"Princess Sybil, back inside!" a distinctly Scottish voice called to her. Sybil shut her eyes in exasperation.

"Coming, Lady Hughes," with an impish grin to the Irish groom, she bowed and did as she was told. "You will not give me away?"

"I wouldn't dare," he said as she turned and ran, throwing a parting smile over her shoulder to say good bye to him.

Tom Branson shook the feeling in him away and resumed brushing his charge, wondering if he would indeed get to teach the young princess to ride. He hoped he would. And he had was not sure quite why.

"Excuse me sir," a voice behind him said and he turned.

"Beggars are not allowed in the castle, my friend. I'm sorry, you'll have to go back out."

"I know you may find this hard to believe, but I am no beggar. I have come for a job."

Tom stood back and observed the man for a moment. He looked to be middle aged. Either that or he had had a very hard life indeed, in spite of the fact he was no skinny peasant such as the like Tom had seen on his own journey to court. His hair seemed a little matted and his face filled with lines, but there was decency and kindness in his eyes.

"You'll have to talk to the Lord Chancellor then."

"No, I wrote directly to the king and he asked me to come."

"Did ye now? Very well – the castles that way. And may the luck of Irish go with you," Tom murmured and the man passed his way. "You're going to need it."

Seeing two finally dressed lady's in front of him, the new arrival followed them into the palace, praying they were going the way he needed to go. He would follow them nevertheless.

"You need to stop running off in the day. You are not a child any more, you are a young lady. It is time you follow the example of your sisters."

"The physicians said it was good for me to get some fresh air."

"As it is, my lady, but under surprised conditions, in the royal gardens. What would your mother say if she knew you had been sneaking off to the stables on your own. I am sure you she would not be pleased."

"No – but Lady Hughes-"

"You are a princess, and it is time you act like it."

"I know-"

"If I cannot trust you to stay where you should be, how can I trust you with other matters of greater importance," asked the Scots women as she turned to look at the young princess.

Sybil stopped, forcing the lady to look at her. The man behind them knew if he stopped then they would know he had been listening in.

So he had to go on... but he was suddenly curious.

Following the route that seemed easier now he was this far, he came to the corridor that he could only assume went down to the great hall.

He had been about to walk in when he saw one of the guard looking at him.

"And who might you be?"

"John Bates. And I've come to see the king."

X x x

"You really think he is going to make me Groom of the Privvy stool?"

"I do not see why not. You have been in their majesties personal service for long enough now, you have the right credentials. It was about time you got promoted."

The two servants walked down the hall together. Why Lady O'Brien had taken such a shine to Thomas Barrow when he had first come to Greenwich remained a mystery to all it seemed. They could not work the two of them out. There was clearly a connection between the two of them. But the truth was, Thomas did not honestly care why she had decided to take him under her wing either – just as long as she did. Asides the princesses and the queen, there were precious few women who had as much power as she did at court.

If she said it was time that he got a promotion, then it was as far as he was concerned. And he was going to be more than happy to accept it.

The groom of the privy chamber was among the most powerful men at court. He would always have access to the king. Always.

His influence would be unparalleled.

And that was what he wanted.

"Oh, I hope you are right. I am sick of being a message boy."

"Have you not heard that good things come to those who wait?"

"Well, I have done my waiting – for long enough too!"

X x x

"My beauty, I know this is not what you would have chosen for yourself. But you do feel as if you are ready for what is to come, don't you?" the king said to his second eldest daughter.

Edith knew the answer he wanted from her. She knew the answer Mary would give. And she was at last glad to say the answer she would give was not so very far off either of these things. But she did have a condition.

"Nearly. Very nearly. But can I ask something of you? And not of the king – but of my darling papa," she said to him with a smile.

Robert let out a gentle chuckle and wrapped his arm about her shoulders. "Anything... anything for my princess and my daughter."

"I will do what you have asked of me. I will be a good wife to the king and I will pray to have a son with him. But if I out live the king which I surely will... I ask that next time I marry it can be for love. For the love of the man _I_ choose to marry."

He looked at his beautiful and serious daughter before him and he knew what his answer had to be. It was after all a reasonable request. She was seeing her duty done.

But apparently he had been too long in considering for the next thing he knew she had taken his hand in his own.

"Please, papa! Please!"

"Oh Edith, of course, of course," he said as he took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. "Be not troubled. The next time you wed, your groom shall be of your own choosing. Not mine."

The smile she wore then he had not seen since he had presented her with a string of pearls for her thirteenth birthday. She had always been in such a hurry to grow up, to catch up with Mary, who had come out of Cora's womb political or so it seemed to him. Thank god for Sybil, he thought to himself, knowing that she was the only one of his princesses who had actually allowed herself a childhood.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

X x x

"I still don't understand. After... all there has been between us, all the promises. You said as soon as you could convince your mother that I could be a duchess you would wed me."

The young woman sat down on the bench, utterly dry eyed and still confused. This could not be happening. Not after everything.

"That was before the king took it upon himself to change every plan I ever had for myself. Lavinia, I have to go to court, darling. If I refuse to marry the princess they will say it is because I want the crown for myself."

"Then let me come with you. I have heard about the court... they say King Robert is a good man but also one who cannot quite help himself... I can come to court with you and when you have done your duty with her Royal Highness, we can be together again!"

"No, that I absolutely forbid. I will not lead you to a vipers nest. You're too sweet for that. Lavinia, please consider what I have said."

And that was when the silence fell between them as it never had before. Matthew did not think he was ever going to be able to forget how sweet she had been when the two of them had first met at his fathers Yule celebrations five years ago. Of course, a lot had gone on since then. Generally a lot of fighting between himself and the dowager duchess. He was sure had she been born with aristocratic blood in her veins then his mother would consent to the marriage, certainly Isobel had acted as if she liked Lavinia before she had learnt that she had fallen for her son irreversibly.

But it had not stopped the two of them dreaming. To him she was the ideal woman, the ideal mother to his sons. She was sweet and pretty and gentle and what he thought he needed.

And what he felt he needed.

It was not long after his plea that she swallowed, summoned her strength and stood up. If she was honest then he had thought there was going to be a lot more tears so far than there had been between the two of them.

Five years of dreaming had come to this. And she was not, apparently, going to let it end in any more sadness than it had too.

"Perhaps I knew this day was going to come. Maybe I always knew," she said as she tried to adjust to what was to come. As they both had too. "You are a duke and I am not even a knight's daughter. It was a dream."

"One I shall dream until the day I die," Matthew said to her as well as to himself.

She turned to look him in the eye. "You are an honourable young man. A fair man, Matthew. The sort of man who should be king."

"I do not want to be king. I have never wanted that."

"It is not about what you want any more. It is not about what either of us wants."

"No – no, it is not. If I were a different man. If I were a better man." She put her fingers to his lips as she shook her head.

"For all that has gone on between the two of us, I do not believe there is a better man. Go to court, met the princess. But know this. There could still be a way back. And I believe with all my heart we will find our way back. And if we don't, then perhaps god has a better plan in mind for both of us."

"If he does then he has so far been cruel to allow us to come so far down this road," he muttered as he looked into her eyes.

She shook her head. It seemed to him as if she had come to some sort of peace with in herself.

"Your Grace," she bowed and with her head held high, Lavinia left the room. In that moment, she looked every bit the duchess.

X x x

"Bates! I hope you did not have too much trouble getting through to me," said King Robert as he came into the privy chamber to see the man he had once fought side by side with standing there.

"The lord chancellor was most helpful," John replied as he looked respectfully at Lord Carson.

Somehow the king doubted that. The man's face was set and he was in no mood to take a compliment from someone who, Robert was well aware, Charles probably did not think should even be at court.

But that was the wonderful thing about being king. Sometimes, it just so happened that no one else's opinion mattered.

"Well, I am glad for that," said the king as he clapped the man on the shoulder and let it linger there. Charles Carson was never going to be able to doubt how high John Bates was in the king's favour when he left here. "I was just remembering the war in France before I recovered your letter. Your care for me went beyond the call of duty. If it had not been for you, then England would not have had its king."

"I do not know about that, your majesty."

"Well I do, and that is sufficient for the two of us to be going on with. I am glad I got your letter when I did, John. I love and trust you implicitly – I could not do so more if you were born my natural brother. Thus is pleases to welcome you to court. And to ask you to become the Groom of my Stool."

"Your majesty, I do not know what to say." It was clear Bates was taken aback. He had hoped for a job but... this was beyond what he had been expecting. It was also clear by the look on Carson's face he knew just what to say but knew he had to hold his tongue.

"Say nothing – but go and find a livery."

"I do not know the job at all," he said to him stating the obvious.

"Well, I can be patient with you. I am sure we are going to be able to find someone who is going to be able to help train you up. And Carson here will help you." said the king as he nodded to him.

The two of them were going to have to get along for one was the most powerful member of his government, the other, the most powerful member of his personal household. He had given John this job because he was a rare jewel. He was a man the king felt he was able to trust with his whole heart.

And for Robert, that recommendation was always going to be enough. Carson would simply have to honour that.

"Now go and get your livery," Robert repeated. John was to start that day.

The new Groom of the Stool nodded as he gave a smile to his lord. "With pleasure, your majesty. I am your humble servant."

As he left the room, the king turned to Carson. "Say nothing. I know you do not approve of his appointment but I will have no other."

The door shut behind John. Robert hoped he now had no doubt the king was on his side.

"Your majesty knows what is best and right."

"I do. Now why do I feel as if there is another reason you have come to me?"

"I have received a letter from His Grace, the Duke of Manchester. He pledges his loyalty to you, send affectionate greetings to the queen and Princess Mary and has agreed to come to court. He will arrive in two weeks time, just as soon as he and his mother have put their household in order. She will be accompanying him."

"My own mother will be pleased," Robert said with sarcasm.

"The Queen Dowager will not have to see the Dukes mother if she has no desire too."

"Nonsense. She has no greater wish than to spar with someone. It is said the Dowager duchess has a keen and enquiring mind."

The look on Carson's face was much as it had been when John Bates was in the room.

"Whether my mother is pleased by the news or not, this is _good_ news, Carson. As soon as, he is here we can begin planning the wedding. Two daughters wed in a year," he said with a wry smile. The chancellor knew the king had a heart and a paternal one at that. He was going to miss his children when they were wed.

But at least Mary was not going to have to leave him completely.

"There is only one awkwardness with all this - that is the Duke of Manchester will arrive at the same time as the new ambassador from the Ottoman Empire."

"Then just make the celebrations larger. We will celebrate both of their comings at the same time," the king reasoned.

"Very well, your majesty. Is there any other service I can give to you today?"

"No – there is nothing. I bid you a good day."

"Majesty," Carson bowed and left the room.

But it was not to his own room that the Lord Chancellor went to. It was to the nursery. As much as he was not going to allow anyone to know what was in his heart, what the eldest princess had said to him when she had been in his room had affected him.

He had never been a particularly sexual being. He had never craved a woman like he had seen other men do so. That had been until the Lady Hughes had come to court three years before hand. The death of the Sybil's old governess had opened the position and she had been chosen from all the candidates. But for a while he had not liked her. He had not liked what she made him feel.

He had not understood.

And then he had understood. And it had almost been worse. Because he had known what it was, at long last, to want to possess a woman.

But as he entered his fifties and with near no romantic history... it was impossible to tell the lady what he felt.

So all he could do was go into the nursery and watch and look and enjoy what he saw.

And leave afterwords.

"The Lord chancellor," he was announced and he heard the shuffling of papers – almost too quickly.

Nevertheless, he was glad by the picture he came across.

The Princess was sitting at the table with her books and with parchment spread across it, looking beautiful, clean and respectable. Her governess was stood over her like an eagle, watching her and no doubt helping teach her, though there were no tutors in sight. How lucky the Princess Sybil was.

"I hope I am not interrupting."

"Not at all," the Lady said to him. "I was just instructing my lady in French."

"Now my sister is to be queen of France, my parents felt it was time I made a more concerted effort to learn the language. This I will do," the princess smiled.

"Of course, _Madame_," Carson said almost playfully. He did not missed the amused glance that the princess and the governess. He did not have a reputation for being light hearted, that he knew.

"What can we do for you today, my lord?" the Scotswoman asked with a polite smile.

"I heard it said through court you needed more money for the Princess's new wardrobe. I just wanted you to know you can, of course, have the money you require. Especially with her royal highnesses sisters getting married. We must not allow Princess Sybil to be forgotten in the excitement."

"I can have a new gown?" asked Sybil with a wide smile, looking up.

"Apparently so, though not until we have sorted theses verbs," Lady Hughes insisted before she bestowed a smile on his lordship.

He exited quietly, sorry he had disturbed them. He feared the poor Lady Hughes was going to have a difficult time getting the princess back into her studies that day. But the young princess was not the only one who was disturbed. Carson was too. For as much as the scene had been sweet and tranquil when he had gone in there, he had a horrible feeling something was beyond hidden from him. And he did not like it.

X x x

Sir Anthony, on the day they were due to leave for London, went to the chambers of the Princess Edith, very much as he had on the day he returned to court. He would take her to the Queen's apartments where she was due to say goodbye to her mother and her sisters and then the two of them would go to the courtyard where they were to farewell the court.

He found her looking out of the window once more – but she was far more collected than she had been previously. She wore a green riding robe, her hair was pulled back and she had a cap on. She looked as beautiful as she ever had.

That was helped by the look of inner peace she gained.

And rather than scowl when she saw him, the princess smiled.

"Are we ready for the off, Sir Anthony?"

"Yes, Your Royal Highness. I am commanded to take you to your mother," he explained.

"Then let us go."

As the two of them walked out of the chambers, she turned once more to look at it – one last time. She wondered if she was ever going to get to spend another night in them.

But such thoughts were for another night and another women. For she had to be strong... As her mother had been when she had been sent to England.

"I am ready," she said to him with a deep breath, but when he offered her his arm she took it.

Neither commented. She was proud – and he was simply proud to be there for her to lean upon. For what was his role if not to be there for her?

Queen Cora was in a cream robe when they got to her rooms. She was more pronouncedly pregnant than she had been when she had made her weak protest against this day coming. She knew now she should have fought harder for Edith. Her daughter was young and brave. However, when her mother looked into her eyes, she knew this was not what she wanted.

Her poor girl.

Both were near unconscious of the fact they were being watched, not only by Edith's ladies but also her mothers.

"You must be strong, my baby," Cora said as she walked towards her and took her hands.

Edith nodded.

"I can be strong," she said as she cast her eyes to where Sir Anthony stood. "Just tell me I will see you soon, mama."

"France is not so far. When you are settled, the king and I will come with your sisters. And we shall all be together once more."

At the mention of her siblings, Edith turned to Sybil, knowing that she would farewell her mother last. Sybil threw her arms about Edith as she stepped towards her.

"You must be good for papa, and a help to mama when the baby comes. Write to me," said the departing sister.

With wet eyes, Sybil nodded. "I will."

Mary was as ever more controlled than Sybil. Yet it was gently that she kissed her sisters cheeks, one after the other, goodbye.

The two of them had not always had an easy relationship. Edith's beauty had been hard on Mary, who's dark beauty attracted many, but not the amount which Edith's fair complexion drew. Yet, she had always been in Mary's shadow. If their father were to die the next day and their mothers child was a girl, Mary would be queen. How long she would hold the crown was hard to know. But she would be the rightful heir.

And until she had been betrothed, Edith would have been nothing. Yet it seemed now she would be crowned first after all.

"We have not always been friends. But today and for the coming weeks, I wish you all the luck in the world, sister," said Mary as she finally gave way and drew Edith close to her. "God speed."

"Goodbye Mary," Edith said warmly as she returned the embrace. Released, she turned back to her mother.

Cora looked at her with heartbreak in her eyes. Her daughters knew how deep her emotions ran. She felt everything terribly.

Clasping her daughters face, she kissed her forehead, before she drew back and picked something up off of the table which sat in her chamber.

"A rosary," said Edith with a smile as her mother gave it to her. It was clear she was delighted. Cora believed in god. Who didn't? How could someone not? But she did not have her daughter's faith. Edith had gotten that from the queen dowager. And the queen felt sure if her daughter had not been born a princess she would have elected to be a nun.

"I will be with you in your prays, my priceless sweetheart. As you are in mine."

Edith swallowed hard as she nodded and curtsied. "Your majesty."

Backing out of the room, the princess reached for Anthony's arm once more. This time she squeezed it harder than she had before.

As her daughter disappeared from her sight, Cora reached for the hand of Lady O'Brien as tears trickled on to her cheeks.

"My baby."

X x x

"Who is that?" Anna Smith, lady in waiting to the Princess Mary, asked of her friend Gwen Dawson as the two of the stood in the crowded courtyard, ready to see off Princess Edith, as she nodded towards a gentlemen. She had been at court since she was a young girl. There were not many people she did not know. But she didn't recall that face, which she knew she would have if she had seen it before.

"That's Master Bates. He is the new Groom of the Stool," the red head replied. "I am surprised you have not seen him yet."

"No, no, I didn't. But I have now." What was seen, could not be unseen, after all...

"Don't get too used to him," a voice said from behind them. Turning, she saw Thomas Barrow looking angrily towards the object of their conversation.

"And why is that, Thomas?" asked Anna, but his response was drowned out by cheers as the Princess Edith came out of the castle accompanied by Sir Anthony and her father.

"Please remember your promise, papa," said Edith as Robert helped her on to a gentle palfrey himself.

Taking her hand, he kissed it. "I will sweetheart. Your next husband will be your own." The two of them looked into one another's eyes and nodded.

It was with deep sorry that the king watched his daughter leave his palace. He would miss her. Even more than he had thought he would, he realised as she rode away from him.

The king was in a sorrowful mood for the rest of the day: and when he was awoken in the night to the news his queen had suffered a miscarriage, his sorrow redoubled into the next day.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

When the Lord Chancellor walked in to the privy chamber to see the king looking out of the window with a far off look in his eye, he knew he was not going to have a good day. How could they? How could any of them? When all their hopes had been taken away in one single night.

"Your Majesty," he said to him gently with a sad smile.

"Lord Chancellor," he said as he turned to him. By a single look, Charles knew he was not to mention the events of the night before. He had lost the baby as well as his beautiful Edith in one night and he was in no mood to discuss his children.

"If it is an appropriate time I have come to discuss the plans for the arrival of the duke of Manchester."

He knew it was anything but – yet the truth was they had to be ready for him to come.

The king nodded. "There will of course be banquets, and a joust. And even a hunt – we thought that might be _appropriate_."

"Yes, of course, it is. After last night it does seem likely as if King Matthew will one day sit on the throne of England. As such, it is important he is presented to court for the first time as the future king." He said to him with a sigh.

Robert had won the crown on the battle field. When he had done so he had always said he was doing it for his children, for his wife, for his family. He had done it for England as well – for all of them. So that the lives of his children would be so very different to the life he had lived as a youngster.

But if his grandchildren were thrust in to a civil war after he had done then what on earth was it all for?

No. Any scruples he had had about the Duke of Manchester had to be set aside right then.

He had to put his weight behind him and show how glad he was that he was his heir.

There could be no other way... could there? Doubt crept into his mind. There might be another path...

"Send word to the queen that when she is feeling well enough to see me, I will go to her."

"Of course, I will. Is there anything else you would like me say to tell h,er. majesty?" he said as he raised an eye brow.

Robert did not know. The two of them had been through this before in the past and he had always sent word for her to keep hope and that the two of them were going to have joy after there disappointment.

But it felt harder for him to do so this time. He had said that to her so many times in the past and they never had.

And now even though he wanted to be a good husband to the women he had laid with for so, so many years he found that – for the first time, he was not able to.

If he was going to have an heir – then it was not going to be with the wife he was with right then.

X x x

The moment that she learned her mother had miscarried the child she was carrying, Edith wanted nothing more in the world than to turn back and go home. She needed to be with her mother. She wanted to pray with her and for her.

She wanted to be there to make sure that the colour was coming back in to her cheeks.

The princess had to know that her mother was going to be well. She had been the other times – but she was not as young as she had been once. And her husband was still a kind man but Edith knew as well as the others, that he did not have the patience he had had once upon a time.

Her own journey she had to say was not going as badly as it could. For spring, England was mild and they had had very little rain. She had journeyed most of the way in her litter but from time to time she had been advised by the physician who was travelling with them that in order to get a little air she should ride on horseback.

After she had seen her younger sister thrown from a horse when she had been young, Edith had never been much of a rider. Her chief form of exercise was dance and pious nature meant that she did not over indulge at meal times. Thus she had had a trim figure without venturing out doors so much.

But now, as she found herself on the way to a new life, she found she had to try new things.

And they were not as hard as she had thought they were going to be.

For with a new life, came a new friend.

"Come ride by me, princess. I promise, I will not let you fall."

They were the words Sir Anthony had told her. That he was not going to let her fall. She wondered what her father would have thought of that and it was quite proper for a princess of the blood to be comforted by the fact an old knight was not going to let her fall.

But comfort her it did.

She had allowed him and him alone to pick her up and put her on the horse she was going to be riding. And once she had got up on it, Anthony kept pace by her side.

"I fear that I am going to make us late for the crossing if I do not find the courage to speed up soon," she said to him with a sigh but he shook his head.

"Then we arrive at a different time – but we are not going to be late whatever date we arrive for a date for your highnesses marriage has not yet been set. And I cannot say that I care very much for dates. The one thing I have been charge with is your safety and comfort. And as far as I am concerned that is all that matters."

She appreciated that more than she was able to say – but it also made her blush. She did not think she had ever had such a champion before.

"Thank you for that," Edith aid to him with a nod of her head. She was certainly able to see why the Lady Maud had fallen for Sir Anthony. He had a quiet charm. She had a feeling if one was not with the knight for a prolonged amount of time then it could be missed.

But she was not going to miss it.

As she had these thoughts, she had a sudden urge to ask him about his own marriage. If it was as happy as she supposed it must have been in her own mind and if he was indeed happy he had had to come back to court.

But there were certain improprieties she was not going to allow herself.

Not yet.

"Have you ever been to France before Sir Anthony?" she asked him with a forced smile.

If she was going to be queen of that realm then she had to know something of it before she set foot on their land.

"I did once but it has been quite some time now. I fought the French, side by side with your father."

"One of your great victories no doubt."

"It was a great victory for your father," he said to her gently.

"Modesty is a most attractive virtue, Sir Anthony."

"So I have heard, princess."

X x x

The duchess and her son were both mounted. Their household was backed up, those things they were not going to need when they got to London stowed away and those they were piled high in carriages and litters.

It had been a very strange process indeed, trying to pack up their lives. It had been appropriate though, for there both knew there was about to be much change from that day onward. There was going to be almost nothing the same. The old life was over.

As he looked back at the castle where he had grown up – the only place he had ever actually wanted to be lord and master of – Isobel feared that the resolved her son had been able to find of late was going to weaken.

That he was simply want to go inside and pull up the draw bridge and forget he had ever been invited to go to London and become a prince of the realm.

It just as she was about to open her mouth and comfort him somehow, she saw him turn.

"Onwards," he said to his household and gave her a gentle smile.

Onwards to whatever comes.

X x x

"Mama, I am so sorry," the eldest princess said to her mother as she went in to the room. Mary had been saddened to learn the news there was to be no baby – again.

But she felt awful to say she was not entirely surprised.

The day before, when she had seen her mother and her sister say their goodbyes to one another's she had feared out was going to be too much for Cora. Whenever it came to her children, the queen from the new world did have an awful tendency to feel things so terribly, terribly deeply. And she had been heartbroken to let her beauty go.

And she had paid the price for it during the night.

Cora nodded. "Thank you, sweetheart."

When she had woken up, she had not even known anything was wrong for a moment... and then she had felt that she was laying in a pool of...

And she had for a moment just laid there. She had thought if she did not move and she did not acknowledge it then perhaps it was not real.

Perhaps it had not happened to her this time and all manner of things were going to be well.

But that was not the case.

"If it is god will then I have to bow to it. I will have a son – just not –" and then she stopped.

For so long, she had been saying she was going to have a son. That that failed pregnancy would not have given her, her son and so there was going to be another one. But now she did not know if she was able to tell herself that.

She was not nearly as young as she had been when she had married and fallen in love with the king. The two of them had three nearly grown up daughters.

How many more chances was she going to have, how many more failures did she have to endure?

All she wanted was a son. But it simply did not seem to be happening for her. And she begun to lose faith.

"Where is your father?"

"He is at pray and I think he will go out hunting today," Mary said to her quietly.

These were not the answers she wanted to give to her grieving mother.

But knowing her husband as she did, the queen nodded. "That is going to keep him in good humour and left his spirits which is what he needs after he has just lost your sister."

Yet the princess felt her blood run furiously hot. She knew women were put upon in the world they lived in. No one knew that better than she did. If only she had been born a boy then her life would have run a very different way.

And her parents would not be going through what they were right then. There would not be the need for so many tries to have an heir, there would be no more disappointments.

And she would be enough.

It was so strange to feel guilty for something you could do nothing about.

But feel guilty she did. For being a girl.

"So have you."

"Not in the way he has," Cora tried to deny herself. She was a woman. She had had to lose her family. She had had to lose the land she had grown up in.

It had always only just been a matter of time before she had lost those she had given life too.

"I hope when she learns the news, Edith is not going to lose her courage to go on. She grew in the last few weeks in a way I feared she was not going to," said Cora.

But she was not scared for her daughter. Not anymore.

The truth was, for her beauty, there was a lot more to Edith. Just as there was more to Sybil and to Mary.

Sybil was not going to discover her own strengths for a while yet she had a feeling. She was still a child, as for Mary, the heiress of England had been tested since the very moment she had been born.

In all but one way, she had never been found wanting.

"I am sure she is going to hold her nerve mama. She is your child!" Said Mary as she took her mother's hand in her own.

She had to remind herself to that when the duke came to court. She was the child of a mother who had tried and tried again.

And would keep trying until she had seen her duty down.

The two of them looked at one another for just a moment and there was a unity between them the like of which Cora had been searching for, for a long while now.

"I am so very proud of you. I want you to know that," she told her daughter as if she was able to see in to her soul and see her insecurities.

Mary found herself swallowing back a lump. She had come to her mother to give comfort, not to take it.

Little did she know that being a mother was the only comfort the queen had at that moment.

If she had had three daughters she was sure she was going to have a son. She could have a son.

She had to have a son.

X x x

Robert knew what he had to do from the moment he had heard his wife had lost their child, deep down in his heart. But that did not make it easier. Or at least that was what he told himself as he sat in the chapel and waited from Archbishop Travis.

There were not many men in the world who he would wait for. But just that day, he was feeling more patience than he had in a while in some ways - he felt as if he had the answers he was searching for already.

Now all he had to do was to make it more official. To get some agreement.

Because as much as he tried to recoil himself to the idea that his eldest daughter and the duke were able to take the throne after he died - it was not working so far.

That was in some regards.

"Your majesty," the man of the cloth said as he came to the side of his patron.

"I am grateful to you for taking time of what I am sure must be a busy schedule,"

"Not at all. I am your majesty's humble servant. I was told there was a matter of great importance that you wished to discuss with me."

"I am afraid there is - and I can't pretend it is very pleasant. No doubt that you have heard the queen has once more suffered a miscarriage."

"I was saddened to hear of it."

"Thank you - " the king said as he took the condolence on behaved of him and his wife. "But it has got me thinking. I am not the young man I was when I came to the throne, and my memory stretches even further back than those days. I should hate to think that when I die the stability that we have all worked so very hard to create shall die with me."

"I am sure when the princess and her husband -"

The arch bishop was silenced by a simple shake of the king's head. The more he tried to make himself accept that he was going to pass the throne to Mary and Matthew when he died the more he found he was unable to do so.

"When the queen was very young - very young, she had a husband. But he was not me."

"The noble lord Thomas," the archbishop referring to the kings elder brother who had died of the sweat when he had been barely eighteen years of age.

It had been a time of grief for the family - but not for the land. For who had the Crawley's been then?

"Yes - he had wed Cora for her money and I wed her to keep it - but now I question the wisdom of that decision."

"My lord, if you mean the scruples which had to be overcome for the two of you to wed then the dispensation from the pope - "

"The pope may be god's representative on earth but he is not god himself. Tell me what does it say in Leviticus?"

But the fact was he did not have too. The two of them knew what it said. The two of them knew it condemned the union of the king and queen.

Travis did not need to say anything.

"I thank you for the time you have spared for me today. I now feel more confident in what I already know is right."

X x x

"I am not going to say I am not sorry you did not get the position, for I am." Said Sarah O'Brien.

It seemed as if she was made to comfort those in pain that day.

She had spent the good majority of the day with her lady trying to comfort her. She was heartbroken for her. She knew that her mistress needed and heir more than anything else in the world. She knew that was what she craved.

Thomas looked at her. He had been ready for the promotion - he had been eager for it - and he had hungered for it.

"I do not know why I didn't get it - have you seen Bates? The state of him. I do not think that he is going to be up to much."

"As long as he has the ear of the king then it does not matter what he looks like," she said as the two of them walked along in the court yard. "And once he has a uniform on..."

"But is this not the king who likes an efficient court, is this not the man who dismissed - " the page broke off.

"Yes - and I am sure he is going to get rid of Bates just as fast, but you are going to have to sit tight. Either that or you are going to have to consider another route. It is not going to be too long until the Duke of Manchester gets to court - there are going to be plenty of positions in his household," suggested Sarah.

But her heart was not really in it.

She had no desire she released to hear Thomas' problem when they were nothing compared to that of her mistress.

It was not only the miscarriage which worried her - it was the reappearance of the Lady Jane.

As much as she was sure she had listened to what she had said - it did not make her feel that much better. As long as that snake was there...

Especially when the king had still not been to see his lady.

And they were all at odds and end. With the departure of Lady Edith, the arrival of Lord Matthew and the appointment of Bates, it felt as if nothing was as it had been.

"I have to get back to the queen. You did not get lucky Barrow. But you will. All comes to he who waits."

X x x

A week had passed since the second eldest daughter of the king had left for France and the number of people in the royal family was rising again as the Duke of Manchester and his mother arrived in the court yard of the palace.

It had been a long ride for him and he was glad to know he was not going to be sleeping in a tavern. Neither he nor his mother would be.

A week on the road had been more than enough for the two of them.

"Welcome to the palace, mama," he said as he looked around him.

Directly ahead of him was the path that lead directly to the palace, but blocking the path was the household of the king.

And the king himself.

And his eldest daughter.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Mary's first impression of the duke of Manchester was as she had thought it was going to be. When she had heard of him, she had imagined him as a short little inbred man with brown, greasy hair, riding on a pony.

Thus, when she saw the face to add to the name she had to change her opinion. In at least one way, he was not as bad as she had thought he was going to be. His blonde hair, noble face and pleasing height reassured her to a degree, though not a very large one. His black hunter was an animal of great beauty too.

When all was said and done, she reminded herself, he was still a means to an end. He was one of the only men in the world who was able to give her birth right.

And supposed if she** had** to take a husband then she did prefer that she would take one of her own nationality and religion.

Her father walked forward.

This was the future of England now, thought Robert to himself. Well, it did not look as if it was as bad as he was expecting it to be, very much as Mary had. He was as reassured as his daughter was.

But he did not see a son when he looked at the duke.

And he did not think he was ever going to be able to see him as such, though at this point he had to give him a chance.

For now - he would do.

And as long as he was able to prove himself in the comings weeks then, he was going to be good enough for his daughter for the rest of her days.

Perhaps.

For the throne and for his daughter, there was a very real chance that this handsome fellow on the horse was the future.

"Welcome to court," said Robert as he strolled forward.

Whereas Isobel had to stay on her horse, Matthew knew he was able to do what was expected.

He swung down off of his horse with ease and he was soon on his knees before his king.

"Your majesty," he said as he looked at the ground. He knew just from one look at the court that they all had their suspicions about him.

He did not think he was going to be welcomed there and quite frankly, he supposed, why should he be? He had ridden down from the north to join a southern court and to wed there princess.

But if that was the way that the king felt, then he was doing his very best to hide it, thought Matthew.

"You, sir, are most welcome here," said the king as he put his hand under his chin and raised his eyes to look at him.

"I thank you for your invitation, you majesty."

Behind him he knew his mother was being helped down and his household was being helped to unpack. She would greet the king now. There were already stable boys who were tending to his men and his bags. They would soon be unpacked and put into their new apartments.

But before that, he had to do his duty and he had to meet the women he knew - hoped - was going to be his wife.

How odd that the two of them should be betrothed when they were yet to set eyes on one another.

His mind swept back to Manchester. And to that sweet girl with red hair who he had once supposed...

No. No, he was not going to be untrue to Mary.

Not so soon - not when the two of them were yet to be married. The chances were the two of them were not going to fall for one another, he knew that. Whatever else he was, Matthew was not a stupid man and he knew she had to resent him so bitterly.

The fact remained he was the only vehicle viable at the moment to get her to her birth right was reason enough for that.

Still - perhaps she was not as strong willed as she looked. Though somehow, he saw there was something in her eye that made him think that was not the case.

If anything, he bowed lower for the princess than he had for the king. Politically, he knew Robert was all for then. But he could be facing a twenty, thirty year life with the women before him right then.

If nothing else was a consolation to him, the fact that she was pleasing to look was. She had dark hair, meaning she was never going to be a conventional beauty, but while her noble face meant that she was never going to be ugly. Her eyes showed her fierce intelligence and the way she had composed her spoke of her royal status.

He took her hand in his.

"My Princess."

She did not like the sound of that - she was _not_ his princess. Not yet.

She did not belong to him. But she knew that was what the court wanted to hear. That she did belong to him.

That the two of them were going to secure the kingdom. And when the two of them were in public, that was the impression the two of them had to give.

She knew how to play this game.

She had been raised playing it.

"How glad I am to see you here, _at last_," she said with emphasis on the final two words. She was not going to let him off scot free even if the two of them were in public.

She knew he had had to think about coming south. And she was not used to that.

She was not used to it at all.

"It is so good to see you."

"And I feared it was nothing more than a duty," She said as she raised her eye brow and was quick to step back.

He had no choice but to greet the next person in the line - the Princess Sybil - but he had an awful feeling that Mary was not going to be one for making things easy for him.

X x x

"So what did you make of the Duke of Manchester?" Cora asked Sybil later that day once the court had returned in side and Matthew had been sent to his new quarters.

The queen had sent her ladies but she had not gone herself, feeling the need to conserve her strength for the evening. It was another change she had had to square with. Whereas, every other time she had miscarried she had found the strength to make sure she bounced back quickly - it had not been the case this time. But she had enough strength to get through that night if the king would only come to her once more.

And she and Robert had barely spent any time together in the past week.

But that should not be her concern when she was with her little princess.

"I think he was very handsome. I think that pleased Mary - but -"

Sybil knew her sister. Not as well as she would always like too, but she did know something of Mary.

"Speak your mind, my little one."

"I do not think she was very warm to him. If he is to be her husband mama, I thought she would have smiled at him a little more than she did. She let him kiss her hand, but not a lot more."

Cora shut her eyes. No one else had dared to give her such a truthful account. Maybe they feared that she was going to be too worried about her daughter. And she had been fragile of late, she knew that. And that did sound awfully like her head strong Mary.

"Mary, I think is going to have to learn not to be so proud."

"I do not understand how the two of them are going to get married if they do not even like one another, mama."

"She will not admit his to yourself, myself or anyone else when it comes to it, but your sister has not yet had time to dislike the Duke of Manchester. The princess should not be so proud and I hope for that matter that when the time comes to marry you should not be proud, Sybil," her mother said as she lifted her eyebrow.

Sybil not know why but at that moment she recalled Tom the stable hand.

"No mama. I do not think I will be proud at all."

X x x

"So if you do not mind me asking what were your first impressions," asked Anna as she helped her mistress change for the feast that night.

"He is far to presumptuous for my liking." My princess.

She had not said she was going to marry him yet. She might well choose not too. He had kept her wondering if he was going to come down court and now it was going to be her chance to play with him.

If he had come to her and thought she was going to make it very easy for him then he was wrong. He was so wrong.

"I am sure he did not mean anything by it."

Anna had been brought to court when she was young and the two of them grew up together. She had waited on Mary since the age of thirteen. She did not think there were many people alive who knew her lady as well as she did.

She had been at the welcoming too. If she was honest, she had thought the duke was charming. He could be a lot worse.

"I am sure that he did. He made me wait while he decided if he was going to the capital and then the moment he rode up on stead I was his princess. I don't think so," she said as she looked into the looking glass. "No, I do not think so at all. He is in for a shock."

And Anna knew from the way that she was speaking that Mary meant it.

"Do you know if the Master of the Stool is going to be at the dance tonight?" the maid asked as she tried to divert her mistress's thoughts. Mary had to be soothed if she was going to get through the evening and if she was going to be soothed then she had to get her mind off of the duke. It did not matter if Anna did not think he was bad. Her Royal Highness did.

"I should think the entire court is going to be there to witness my humiliation," she said through a shape tongue.

It was only then that she really registered the question though.

"I should ask why you are asking that question, Anna, but from the look on your face I do not think I have too," said the princess as she turned. At least one of them was falling in love. That was what her face said any way.

"I just know that he is new to court and I want to help settle him in. I think it could be a rather disorientating place if you were not brought up here as the two of us have been."

X x x

"Did you see her face? I do not think she took to me as a duck does to water."

"From where I was, I have to say the princess looked as if she was happy enough."

Isobel and Matthew sat across from one another. Two goblets of wine had brought in for the two of them so that they were going to be able to refresh themselves.

"Oh, I think you needed to be as close to her as I was to see how she really looked but there was something in her eye..."

"She is a highly intellectual girl who has been brought up to live in the manners of diplomacy."

"Exactly my point," said Matthew as he got up. She knew the game she was playing.

Going over to the window, for in natural light was his favourite place to think, he sighed. Had he done wrong? Had he ever really had a choice?

He had always known he was going to miss his old life when he had been down in the south but he had not known how much.

"You are a good man. You are considerate and loving and once she knows that, she is going to fall very hard for you."

He was not so sure. "It is not only the princess that I have to concern myself with though, is it?" he had learnt how to manage an estate and as such, he did have a basis on which to build his knowledge of running a kingdom. But he was not sure he was up to the task.

"And that is why you are going to have to take things slowly. Matthew, you are not going to be king for a very long time, if you are going to be at all," she said as she drunk the wine. "You have time to learn."

She had to say it was very good stuff.

"Do try to stop worrying. If this does not work out then the two of us are going to go home. Be yourself. Relax - but perhaps not too much."

The two of them were new at court and there were certain ways of doing things. They all knew that. He could not drop his guard yet.

Knowing that she was not much helping the situation by giving advice and then contradicting herself straight away, his mother went to her chamber to unpack some of her trunks. It was a job she had been looking forward too. She did not think she could be called frivolous. It was a very rare thing that she had any new gowns.

But she had needed some when her son had said they _were_ indeed going to go to court. She had persuaded herself they were a necessity. If her son was going to be the next king of England then she had to look the part, did she not?

She was not going to show him up.

It had been many years since she had been at court. She had rarely been here since Matthew had been born and she was able to count on one hand the numbers of times her own path had crossed with that of the Crawleys.

She and her husband had met at the court of the old king and so it had seemed to make sense to stay out of the new one. The two of them had decided the best way to get through the transition was to have a quiet life.

They were potential heirs to the crown but not for there lives were they going to allow anyone to think that they were disloyal - they liked living too much.

But then the two of them had had their son and it had been more important than ever that Manchester remain loyal to the crown. Especially as the queen had one daughter after the other.

For the first time ever, she was allowed to be beautiful - she was allowed fine jewels.

She knew there was still much for them to discuss. The princess and her son could still very well change their minds and everything may go back to the way it was.

But somehow she did not think it was very likely.

X x x

"The weather is looking fine. I think we are going to be able to cross the channel tomorrow," said Anthony as he ate his supper with his royal mistress.

The party of the princess Edith had made continued to make good time. He was pleased with what he was able to write back to the king but he did not know if he was pleased by what he was able to see on the face of his princess.

She had put a brave face on leaving England. She had said to him she had come to terms with it but he was not so sure.

He was the only company she had of her own rank, and then not even quite then. But the two of them had come to be friends and if she did have an equal, it was him.

"King Louis is going to be thrilled."

The knight did not care about the king. There were very few men in the world he cared about less than he did the king of the French.

Now his wife were dead, there was no women he cared for more than he did at the princess at that moment. She had beauty, dignity, grace...

"It may not be as bad as you think it will be," he said to her gently.

In that instant, he knew he had said the wrong thing for there were tears in her eyes and he had not meant to make her cry. That was the last thing in the world he had meant to do.

Anthony knew he had to comfort her. Reaching over the table, he did something he would not have dared have done before they had set out on this road together and took her hand in his own.

It was cold.

"And it might be every bit as bad as I fear it is going to be," she muttered but as soon as she had replied to him that sentence he saw her stiffen as if she had let herself down, which he did not think she was capable of.

Pushing her dinner away from her with her free hand, she made it clear she was not going to eat any more. She had been put off of her food. She always was when she thought of her upcoming nuptials.

"He is a king - he is a gentlemen and he was going to look after you."

"But if I do not want to," the confession was quiet and broken once more. This was a very rare soul bearing from the princess.

"I do not wish to speak ill of your future husband but the two of you are not going to be joined for long," it was all the comfort he was able to give her, this vibrant young rose of a women, he thought miserably - that the man she was going to be joined to was so old he was soon to be dead.

And that brought to her mind what her father said. That when she was a widow she was going to be allowed to marry who she cared for.

Who she loved.

"I do not care if you speak ill of him," she said as she squeezed the hand she was holding on to.

He nodded. He had guessed that.

"You are young and you are brave. And even though you do not want to, you are going to get through this, my princess. You'll see this through and be stronger for it afterwards," he reassured her.

My princess. That was what she wanted to be she realised.

His princess.

"And I will have you to help me do so," she nodded. "At least at the start..."

"You will always have my support," he promised her with a nod.

X x x

He walked into the room and she felt her heart lift. This was the first time since - it - had happened and the first time he was seeing her as she would like him to.

"Robert."

Cora put out her hands to take his. It was an old habit. The old way of summoning him to her that had always worked in the past - especially after they had fallen in love.

And he went to her then as he always had and put his hands in the queens, with a smile on his face. But she knew him and she knew there was reluctance. He was there in his body but in his eyes he did not want to be there with her - it was an odd feeling.

But she had to ignore it. It was no doubt because the two of them were feeling a little uncomfortable. They had got passed it in the past and they were going to do so again.

"My dear, how are you feeling?" he asked as she went to kiss him. He turned at the last moment and instead of there lips colliding, her own were met by his cheek.

"I am so much better for seeing you. Robert, I - "

"I know," he said as she silenced her. If there was one thing clear to her it was that, he was not going to listen to her say sorry as he had done before. At least, not that night.

And that unnerved her further. The mask he wore for diplomats was on. It was as if he had only just registered that the two of them were not on their own and there were many of her ladies maids in the room.

"You look very pretty tonight."

"I thank you, my lord."

"We should go down to the hall - we do not want to be late for the duke tonight."

She nodded and the ladies who were serving her feel in line behind her and the king, as the two of them made their way towards the great hall where they were going to be met by the courtiers as well as the two daughters who stilled lived at their court.

She knew she had to speak quickly for the two of them were not going to get another moment alone for the rest of the night.

"Robert, I would be glad to welcome you to my chambers tonight after the feast. I am quite recovered and - "

"I think not, Cora. I am sure you still need some sleep and I am going to be very late this evening," he said, knowing he was going to be up late talking and making merry with his courtiers as they welcomed the young duke.

"But-"

"No."

And that was the end of the conversation.

But she feared it was the end of something more too.

X x x

The princess Mary struggled not to roll her eyes as she took her seat next to the duke before the court. He was dressed in what he thought no doubt was a very fine doublet. At least five years out of fashion, but how would he know?

As far as she was able to see, he did not know anything.

"Do you enjoy the great feasts such as this?" he said from her side as the silence between them had gone on just a little too long. He had hoped when they two of them had sat down, she was going to ask him how his journey to London had been or something that was an easy topic between them.

But as she did not seem to be in the mood to make light conversation, he had to try. He had not ridden down from Manchester to not talk to her.

"Doesn't everyone?" she asked as if it was a stupid question.

"I suppose it must be the high light of life if you live at court," He said with a shrug.

"As opposed to touring your estates when you do not grow up at court?" she asked without missing a beat.

"There are a few advantages of small peerage living, that I will concede. Mainly the freedom to go abroad when you feel like it."

_When you feel like it..._ she could not imagine how it would feel to do anything when she liked it. The idea intrigued her. And the fact that he had got to live like that for a time she had to say did make her - jealous? - of him.

And she found she was not able to stop herself from contradicting him.

"Well, we get to do that as well - it is called a progress - and that is the best part of court life as I am sure you are going to find out," if you last that long. "We get to go up and down the country and see my father's subjects."

And at every corner there is a knight to tell you how fair you are, my lady...

"You never went to Manchester."

"My father did not feel it was necessary. We only go to see the most important nobles with the most charming houses."

Of course, you do...

"I am not sure what I have done to offend you, Princess Mary - but do let us be friends. I apologise for any offence and beg your pardon."

He was sure she had been trying to provoke a reaction. The look on her face confirmed this for him.

But that had not been the one she had been after.

Whereas the moment before he had been baiting her, she saw in his eyes then, he was being as sincere as he could be.

She could see it in his eyes which were very blue. She had not noticed before.

"You're a man. That is your offence," Mary explained.

He did not have much of a response to that. It was a comment that totally stumped him as well as have him blinding insight.

"You Royal Highness, I -"

"Mary! Mary!" the two of them heard a rather childish voice behind them and they turned to find the youngest child of the king and queen there.

"Sybil, you really must not get so over excited in front of - "

"Oh, bother with that - papa just got news that the Ottoman attaché has arrived in England. They will be at court with in the week."

X x x

Further down the hall, Anna, the first lady in waiting of the princess Mary sat in one of the tables with the other member of the household.

Across from her was John Bates, now one of the most influential men at court for he had the ear of the king. She had never been a shy person - but he made her feel shy.

"How are you settling in?" she finally plucked up the courage to say. She had spoken to him a couple of times, but she still felt as if she knew nothing but his name.

"Quite well - I am beginning to find my feet," he admitted to her with a smile, trying to contain his joy she was talking to him. He did not think he had ever seen such a pretty maiden.

"It can take a few weeks," she admitted.

"Then I am nearly through the worse," he said and before he was able to stop himself he was smiling at her and looking into her eyes.

And to was not long until he was feeling self conscious.

"Do you think you are going to settle here?" Anna asked hopefully.

"I hope so. I really hope so."

_Please review!_


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you to** Baron Munchausen** for beta'ing this chapter for me : )

**Chapter 5**

It has been a busy few days at the court of King Robert, but a week after they had feasted in honour of the arrival of the Duke of Manchester, the courtiers once more put on their finery in order to welcome the new Ottoman attaché to court.

Kamel Pamuk may not have caused the political stirring such as the duke had when he had arrived, but if there was one thing that was for sure, no lady of the court would deny that there was not an Englishman there who was able to rival him in sheer beauty.

Even Anna, who had otherwise mooned over Bates since he had arrived, could not help but say to Gwen how beautiful she thought him.

"He is not a bit like the duke is he?" said Lady Sybil as she sat by her mother at the feast.

"No, he isn't but that is not necessarily a good thing."

Whereas her eldest daughter and her husband had had a hard meeting with the new heir, she had had one more like Sybil and she had to say she liked Matthew as much as she could.

He was handsome, had a kind manner and she had to say quite nice eyes. Yes, she was on the whole pleased with him - more so than she was with his mother that was for sure, she thought. It was not that the Dowager Duchess was unpleasant - but she was rather eager.

"The two of them are kind in their own ways, aren't they?" Sybil replied to her mother.

"Yes, I think they are."

After that the mother and daughter fell into silence. It was not very long until the young princess was beginning to feel bored as she always did when she went to one of her father's feasts.

She wished she was back in her room as she saw Mrs. Hughes sitting with some other members of the household. She liked it when it was just the two of them in her room and the two of them were going over Tyndale together.

She did not think her mother and her father would agree with the religious education she was receiving but she had always been a girl who had liked to think and she decided she_ did _approve of the education she was getting.

She would be so very sorry if she ever lost the only woman who had ever truly stimulated her mind.

The two of them shared a smile and then the princess allowed her eyes to move on about the hall as the musicians struck up and the dancing began.

She would join them later on but she saw Mary was wasting no time.

The eldest princess of England was standing by the man she was betrothed too and, from what Sybil was able to see, the two of them were having one the longest discussions they had had to date. Mary did not seem to be being unkind by the expression on both of their faces, but it was not long to last.

She watched as the Ottoman ambassador approached the princess. For a moment it seemed as if the three of them were having a conversation, but it was not long until the ambassador had dragged her away from the duke and on to the dance floor.

The Duke of Manchester sighed and admitted his defeat gracefully.

It was then he saw she was watching him.

"Your majesty," he said as he approached the table and nodded to the queen. "Can I ask my little sister to dance?"

"Well, she is not your sister yet but I hope the day when she is, is not now long in the coming," she said as she smiled to him and turned to Sybil. "Would you like to dance with the Duke, my love?" she asked.

"Very much, mamma," she said as she got up and gave her hand to Matthew. He was soon leading her to a spot not too far from Mary and Pamuk.

"Do you like my new gown?" Sybil asked she curtseyed to him.

"It is very pretty, Princess Sybil."

It was not long after the two of them joined the group who were already on the floor that she noticed she was not really holding his attention at all.

Ever his gaze was wandering to Mary. And ever was her gaze turning away from him.

"Is it acceptable for me to give you a piece of advice, my lord?" she asked, not quite knowing what the protocol was.

"I do not know what considered proper here is but I am open and willing to take any advice which is given to me right now, so yes."

"Give her time then. My sister can be very cold, but she is actually very warm. You just can't force her into anything. And why would you want to?" she said wisely as she danced around him.

"I am not trying to force her-"

"Let her come to you and do not push her, force her into conversations she is not yet ready for. But you seem to have made progress tonight. And you know, she will come to you on her own."

She is like a baby bird, thought Matthew to himself, my wife to be. A very proud baby bird, but a baby bird indeed. If he rushed towards her then he was going to scare her off. But if he continued to go slowly as he had done that night then he was going to have a great deal more success.

"I thank you for your advice," he said to her. "I am going to use it."

Nothing else had really worked so far after all.

X x x

The queen retired to bed later that night than she had when the Duke had first got to court. With every day that passed she was able to feel her old strength returning to her, though her sadness that she had miscarried did not.

She just had to believe that every day that passed was going to take her closer to the conception that would provide her and her husband with their heir.

"Lady O'Brien?"

She and her ladies had returned to her room not long ago and they had all been among those making merry that night. It was the first time since she had lost her baby that any of them had had some fun.

"Yes, my lady," she asked as she helped her into her night cap.

"Has the King sent any message that he is going to come to me tonight?"

She and Robert had had a dance that night.

It had been a beautiful and a wonderful thing to feel his hands on her once more. As he had turned her round she had not been able to stop herself laughing, the first true laugh since it had happened.

But perhaps the good times were on their way back.

And mayhap she had been worrying needlessly.

But those thoughts were only allowed to circulate in her mind for a moment because her maid was so quiet.

"I have had no sign the King is to come to you tonight, my lady. I am sorry."

It did not mean anything the Queen thought to herself, for she was not the only member of the court who got tired. She knew the King did. And he had had much to do of late.

"What a relief," she said loudly so all of her ladies were able to hear and then smiled.

All was going to be well.

All manner of things would be well. For they had to be. Didn't they?

X x x

"Mama and Papa noted you were not at mass this morning," said Sybil as she went back in to her chambers to find that her governess was setting up for their morning's lessons. "You have always come to mass before. Why did you not today?" the princess demanded to know.

If the truth was known the Lady Hughes did not know if she liked the tone her princess was taking with her. She knew the two eldest princesses could be uppity when the occasion rose for it, but she had not known her lady to be so.

But then she knew it was only because she cared.

"I was a little under the weather and that is God's honest truth," she said to her. And it was. She had been a little unwell when she had got up though she felt as if she was recovered then.

Yet it had been pleasant not to have to go to mass for once. And it had felt good. The truth she knew in her heart gave her more peace than any Catholic mass could.

The princess knew better than to contradict her but did not look happy as she sat down to begin her lessons that day.

"I would not like it if you were to go away, my lady."

The two of them knew how seriously heresy was and how hard her father would come down on her if he knew she was of the Protestant faith. Especially as she was the governess to Princess Sybil. The governess was the one who spent the most time with the young girl and it would be the education which she provided which would be what informed the Princess's decisions in her later life.

"Well, I do not think that is something the two of us have to worry about for I have no intention of going away and I know, you my lamb, have no intentions of giving me up, do you?"

"No - never."

Once the two of them had settled into the morning routine, it was not so very long until Lady Hughes's indiscretions had been forgotten. Soon the two of them were knee deep in English history together and after that, they went through Sybil's French together.

"You are really going to be able to impress the King when you go to see your elder sister." The governess said to her charge.

"I think Edith is going to prefer it if she comes here to see us rather than all of us going over there."

"Not at all, child. The Princess is going to settle in to her new country fine."

But Sybil did not think that was going to be the case.

If she knew her sister at all that was not going to be the case.

X x x

Settling back into the English court had been even harder for Jane than she had thought it was going to be. She felt as if a lot had changed in the time she had left and come back.

It was not only that she missed her husband but she missed the son that she had borne him as well. She could not remember the last time she had felt like this. As if she was cut off from the world and all the things she loved the best in it.

Sitting down on the bench she allowed a single tear to drip on to her face before she wiped it off. She knew it was not done to cry at court and when she thought of all that their majesties had been through of late, she had to admit it did put her own troubles into some kind of perspective.

She had been about to go on her way and get back to the Queen when she heard footsteps approaching and then before she had much time to think the King was before her.

No matter what the Lady O'Brien had said to her when she had come back, she could not help but look back on the time she had had with the King when she had last been at court with a smile on her face.

It had not lasted long, during the pregnancy and after the birth of the youngest princess, that she had been the King's mistress. As much as the King had loved his new daughter, he had been disappointed he had not had a new son. And he had needed comfort and a distraction. She had understood from the off that was all she was to him but if she was not very much mistaken then, that still did not take away from the fact they had had the most wonderful months together.

Not even her husband had been able to make her laugh the way that the King did.

And suddenly it was as if all the sadness she had been feeling was lifted from her. From the moment she had been told she ought to stay away from him, she had wanted nothing more than to be in his arms once more.

Jane had no wish to betray the Queen. But if she was to say that she did not have very strong feelings for the King then she was knew she would be a liar.

"Lady Moorsum, how are you today?" he asked her. She had noted the way his expression had changed when he saw her and she would be lying if she said it did not make her heart leap.

He had looked as if he was down. But he did not any more.

"I am well. How is your majesty?"

"Better," he replied. "How do you like my court on your return?"

"Well, it remains as exciting as it ever was," she replied. She had always thought of it as a place of infinite possibilities and with the two of them standing so close together, it felt as if it was still.

"I am glad to hear it. If there is anything I can do for you all you need to do is ask."

"Thank you, your majesty. And if I can serve you in any way, you need only command it of me."

He had been about to walk on only to find he could not. All the thoughts he had had over the past few days seem to come to a head when he saw her face. For she could be the answer to so many of his problems.

"You can do something me actually," he said as he turned to face her.

"What, my lord?"

He took her hands in his.

"Come walk with me."

X x x

Sybil was glad to find herself back in the stables. She had been trying to get down there for a few weeks.

Since he had said he was going to teach her how to ride a horse, Tom the stable hand had been for ever in and out of thoughts. If she had been given the chance then she would have come back sooner but the nature of the last few weeks meant that she had been standing on ceremony a lot.

That day her luck had been in as the Lord Chancellor had once more interrupted her lesson to talk to the Lady Hughes. Due to the fact that class had been nearly over for the day any way, she had not had too much trouble getting away by saying she was off to the gardens.

"I am here for my first lesson," she said as she finally located him in one of the stools mucking out.

Tom did not know who it was until he turned around, but when he saw her he felt his heart jump. In the time that had passed since he had last seen the Princess, he had thought she had forgotten him. He saw now that he should have had more faith in her.

And he was sorry he had not.

"Your royal highness," he bowed down but she held her hand up. She did not know why she thought he was different to everyone else already, but she did. And if there was one thing she did not want there to be between the two of them it was formality. She did not wish to hear him call her by her title.

All in all, she felt as if he was an enigma to her.

But one Sybil wanted to work out.

"If you are going to be my teacher I do not think you should bow to me."

More than her teacher, she hoped he was going to be her friend.

It was only then that her eyes fell on the horse in the corner and her eyes widened with fear a little.

"You needn't think I am going to be putting you on him any time soon," he said as he patted the animal and Sybil swallowed.

She might not want to be called a princess, but she was one and she was not going to allow her fear to show.

"Good."

The two of them headed out back in to the courtyard.

"With all due respect, if I am not to call you 'your royal highness', then what am I to call you?"

"Well, if you are not comfortable with my Christian name, then you could call me 'milady' I suppose - but I would far rather, you did simply call me -"

"Sybil."

She nodded.

"I think maybe this little mare is more what the two of us are looking for." Tom explained to his lady as he took her over to the stool where a little white horse stood.

She was a pretty little thing noted Sybil. She looked older than the large horse, and a great deal sturdier.

"She looks sweet."

"Our April is as sweet as a nut, aren't ya darlin'," he asked as he put her bridle on.

Sybil's stomach flipped. She wondered now if she wanted to ride, or if she just wanted to spend time with Tom.

"Maybe the two of us should do something more theoretically today."

Tom raised an eye brow. Oh no...

"You get up on the beast. You ride it. Theory lesson over."

She smiled, swallowed back her nerves and laughed a little. She had thought she had known she had wanted him to treat her as an equal, but she had not realised quite how thrilling it was going to feel.

She watched as he saddled up the horse, which took no time at all or so it seemed to her. He had worked with horses all his life. And it showed.

"That's a man's saddle."

"Side saddle is a fool's game and you do not look like to me a person who does things by halves."

"Well, no - no, I'm not but I am a lady."

He shook his head._ A free spirit is what you are._

"Right, let us get you up there," he said as if she was a girl he had grown up with from his village.

Before Sybil had time to protest he had his hands on her waist and had lifted her off the ground. Resting her hands on his shoulders, she let him guide her feet to where they should go and then before she knew it, for the first time in seven years, she was sitting up straight on (an admittedly, little) horse.

And she felt wonderful.

The two of them shared a laugh and it set the tone for the rest of the day.

By the time she got back to her rooms, that night she felt as if she had been liberated. And not only from the fear of something she should never have feared in the first place, though perhaps she was a little nervous even then. She knew she had a long way to go.

But it went deeper. Much, much deeper.

"Sorry I took so long, Lady Hughes."

"No matter, my lamb."

There was something far away in the voice of the governess. She had a look in her eye that said something of great moment had not only happened to her that day.

But to Lady Hughes as well.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing - nothing to trouble you with."

X x x

Just outside of Paris, the English party set up camp. The grooms who had travelled with the Princess were drinking and no doubt, whoring. The maids who had come to serve the Princess looked on them with envy, for they too wanted to go out and explore the exciting new country they had come too as well.

The Princess's Chaplain, however, was on duty. With the wedding the next day, Edith was to spend the night on her knees praying the strength she had felt when she had left her father's court to come back to her.

She had been in the middle of her devotions when she heard a knock on the door.

"Sir Anthony Strallan is here, your royal highness," was the announcement.

Edith looked down. She had already changed for bed and was in her night gown and robe, her hair was loose over her shoulders and her feet were bare.

And yet Sir Anthony had come to her.

"The Princess is preparing for the day ahead, she cannot be disturbed," her good Chaplain came to her honour - but the problem was the Princess did not wish him to.

"I would see, Sir Anthony," she confided to the man and then with a nod of her head she dismissed him.

Once the knight had come into the room, and the two of them were alone, Edith felt she was able to relax. She was with the only man in the world who cared who she really was.

And that was a reassuring thought.

But she did not know how comforted Sir Anthony was at that moment.

"Your highness, do forgive me, I had hoped I was going to be able to see you before you changed," He said to her as he made for the door but the expression on her face stopped him.

"It matters not," she said to him with a smile before she realised she was making him feel more and not less uncomfortable. She looked down on the floor. "I was very tired tonight so I changed early."

"Of course. You should try to get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. But I know you are going to honour your father and he will hold his head higher because the Queen of France is his daughter."

"I do so very much want to please him."

"You will. All you need do is be your exquisite self and the Kings of England and France..."

"I care not for them. Do you truly think me exquisite?"

He paused. It should be the other way around for he knew he was of next to no importance. Half a smile crept on to his face against his will. "How could I not?"

The one truth he knew was that she was the most enchanting creature he had ever come across. Not only because she was beautiful. But because she was full of courage as well.

When he had come into her room that night, the truth was he had not only been uncomfortable because it was not proper that he should see any woman but the one who was lawfully bound to him as his wife in such garments... But because the more he had got to know her, the more he had begun to dream of her, not as a princess, but as a woman. He was older than she was. But he was not so old he was beyond feeling tenderness, and love, and warmth and other more primal urges.

He was suddenly aware that she was moving towards him looking bolder than he had ever seen her before. "If I do not do this now, then I will not get another chance to. And if I do not do this now, then I will regret missing the opportunity for the rest of my days," she explained.

He had been about to ask what, 'this' was, but before he had a chance his face was cupped by her hands and his lips were against hers and every dream he had ever had about his golden haired princess was the most blissful and sensual reality.

His head told him to pull back and to stop, as did his honour. But his heart and every fibre of his soul told him to pull her close and not let go.

And when she was close enough to smell, the latter inevitably won the day.

After five tender minutes of silence promises and gentle caress, he found the two of them had stopped kissing, but refused to let one another go. His hands lay claim to what he wanted to be his. With their foreheads kissing and noses touching, it felt as if they were two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that had finally been slotted together.

The two of them had come to their senses before anything of any great moment could happen, but the only regret he had when they did was he would not be her bridegroom the next day. How on earth was he meant to regret kissing her when he knew deep down, beyond any doubt, that he loved her? And how on earth was he meant to give her to France the next day?

"Will you pray with me?" she whispered and he nodded.

The two of them knelt down before the cross in her tent together, holding hands but otherwise attending to their own prayers and devotions.

Sir Anthony looked at the young woman at his side and knew instinctively that whatever else had happened that night between them, this was the most intimate moment he had ever shared with her. With the candles lighting up her face, she almost looked other worldly.

Thoughts of what was to come the following day made him want to break down and cry.

X x x

"I did not expect to see you out here so early," said Mary, the morning after the feast as she came across her betrothed in the rose gardens.

That was part of the reason she and Anna had come that way. Still, she did not suppose she could ignore him. What good would it do anyway?

In the week he had been at court, she had not warmed up to him much, but was decidedly more polite to him than she had been after his initial arrival.

There was more than one reason for the change in her attitude. The first was the looks her father had given her while she** had **been doing her best to ignore the Duke. His displeasure had been written all over his face. The King was as about as thrilled as she was the Duke was there, but if he was able to deal with him then he seemed to think his eldest daughter should be able to as well.

The second thing was he had been kind to Sybil, and anyone who was kind to Sybil won her favour too - generally. In the Duke's case, it had only worked somewhat.

The third was she was beginning to appreciate his good looks. And right then, he had a book in his hands.

And anyone who read won her approval. And any man who read, was instantly more attractive.

"What can I say? I needed to blow the cob webs away after last night."

She smiled as Anna dropped back and suddenly found the roses very interesting.

"You're an early riser?"

He nodded. "I am not one for wasting time."

She pursed her lips. She had seen behaviour to the contrary from him but she let it go.

"Are you looking forward to the hunt this afternoon, your royal highness?"

"I must say, I rather am. I like to be in the saddle."

"As do I," Matthew concurred.

"Well, then that is at least something we have in common."

Silence fell between them but it was not uncomfortable.

"Thank you for showing an interest in Sybil. She is at that terribly awkward age when she begins to really understand court life, but can't play much of a role in it."

"Not at all. I find her company constructive."

It was then she looked down and read the title of the book in his hands. "The Handbook of a Christian Knight?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"If there is one thing the last week has shown it is that I need to brush up on my graces." She laughed and noticed Anna, still smelling the roses out of the corner of her eye.

"Well good luck with that, your grace." She nodded as she got up.

He rose and bowed to her as she and her maid went on her way.

Baby steps with the baby bird...

_Please review!_


	6. Chapter 6

Again, thanks to **Baron Munchausen** for beta'ing!

**Chapter 6 **

The morning of the hunt Robert got up with purpose. He had come to terms with what he wanted to do and now it was time to put a plan into action.

The Duke of Manchester was working out better than he had thought he was going to. It was clear he was both eager to please and to learn. If it came to it then he was going to make a good King, of that Robert was sure.

But it was hard to admit that the war was lost and that he was never going to have a son of his own to take over from him.

And so he would take another wife. It was clear that while they were young and virile, they had been able to have their wonderful girls, there were going to be no more healthy or living children from his union with Queen Cora.

Jane was sweet and she was pliable, she was beautiful and she was younger than his current wife. If the two of them were able to conceive then he was going to be able to do his duty by his subjects.

Of course, he knew he was making a sacrifice at the same time. Ever since she had come to him, he had loved Cora. Or at least, he had done by the time the two of them had Mary. They had laughed together and loved together. And the one thing Jane was never going to be able to rival her predecessor in was intelligence, he suspected.

But Cora was not going to be able to give him an heir through her brains and her wit.

It was time he acted.

The Lord Chancellor went into the King that day and the first thing he felt was uneasy. Of late, the King had been brooding and lethargic, he had been leaving the running of the kingdom day to day to him and if he was honest, then that was the way Carson liked it.

When he saw the king being dressed by the Master of the Stool with such a determined look in his eye, that something was afoot was obvious.

"Good morning Carson," the King said to him as the Lord Chancellor bowed.

"Good day to you, my lord."

As Bates finished putting his sovereign's doublet on, Robert turned to him.

"You had better sit down, my lord. We are not going to be done quickly."

Carson did as he was told. The dread he had been feeling increased though.

"Well, we are going to be done in time for the hunt are we not?" the Lord Chancellor asked with a smile as he tried to lighten the mood but he saw that was not going to be done easily.

"Oh yes... but - Carson, there is not an easy way for me to say this to you and I am sorry, I have to set such a heavy weight as this on your shoulders as I know you are going to find this is a trial. But I have searched my heart and I know it is the only way."

"If you are uncomfortable and I can help ease that in anyway, then you know I am yours to command."

Robert paused. Then he nodded. "In that case I fear you must get me a divorce."

Charles Carson looked as if he had been told he was going to die of the plague. He was not blind. He had seen the way the king had looked of the Queen of late and he knew that he was not as pleased with her as he had been when the two of them were young. But he had not once thought that he might...

"My lord, I - "

"I need to get myself an heir. I am not giving up yet, Carson. It is quite clear that the Queen, as dear as she is and has always been in my heart, is past her child bearing years, yet just six months ago I proved I was still capable of getting a woman pregnant. With a younger wife, the succession can be made safe."

"But, my lord, the succession can be made safe by a marriage rather than a divorce."

"And so it is going to be for the Duke and the Princess are beginning to - well, she can stand his company now or so it seems. But I would rather the crown passed to my son and not theirs."

He looked at the Lord Chancellor and Carson knew if he were to make another protest the King was going to show his immense displeasure.

Carson did not like it when his lord was displeased with him.

"Very well, your majesty. I am your servant," he said as he swallowed - his throat was suddenly quite tight.

"I know you are," the King said. He did not look at him with anger but with affection. He had always been his man and her was always going to be.

Charles suddenly knew he was not going to the hunt that day. He had much on his mind. He had to get back to his office, to work out how he was ever going to approach this matter.

And not only what the King had said to him, but what had come to pass the night before.

He had said he was only going to go and check on the Lady Hughes as he had not seen her in church that day. He did worry for her, for reasons he was unwilling to admit to another living person and if she had been unwell then he wished to ease her pain.

Having found her quite well, he then advised her not to miss mass again for the King was. as ever, hot on such matters and he would hate to see her lose her position or get into trouble.

She had thanked him for his concern and he had meant to walk out there and then but he had not been able to prevent himself from looking back and he feared he had said too much with that glance.

The way she had looked at him - he had felt as if he was a fool to have hoped.

He was the King's man and that meant that he was not always loved at court.

But that did not mean he could not love. And he did. And now she who was his all knew that.

X x x

"I wish I was able to go to the hunt with you tonight," said Sybil as she sat in her sister's room while she got changed with the help of her maids.

She did not want to go to harm the animals but to ride - to go fast and to show her father her new skill, not that she had so much of one yet.

What she and Tom had done yesterday had been very basic. She did not think she was able to ride if he was not with her. He made her feel safe...

He made her smile. And perhaps when they were all out that day, she was going to be able to go out and see him. And that, made her smile.

"You know mama is not going to allow that. You almost died - and we are going to go at a terrific pace."

"It looks as if your blood is up already," Sybil commented, "and when you say we, do you mean the Duke and yourself or the Ottoman attaché and yourself?" she teased.

"I do not know why I should not share my time between the two of them," Mary shrugged. By her side, Anna smiled.

"Your royal highness has enough charm for the two of them."

"I hope I do."

So far she had found Kamel to be a beautiful, cultured man who was able to tell her something of the outside world, even more than Matthew had. That in itself was a very welcome change. Sometimes she felt as if she had never left the palace at Greenwich, despite the progresses her father had taken her on. And she had not. She had not seen the world the way either of them had.

Matthew had been kind to her that morning she supposed and he was settling down now.

That was something to please her.

Picking up the diamond earrings on her dressing table, she sighed. "But it does not matter how many charms the two of us have today - as long as Edith has hers."

"Mama said it was today she is marrying."

"It is."

"I wish one of us was there with her to make her brave."

"Our sister is a Princess of England - that is going to be enough to make her brave."

X x x

Across the water, Edith stood tall in her gown of soft damask. When she had been young she had dreamt of the day she was going to be married. She had hoped it was going to be a Prince who she was in love with. And she was going to look at him the way her mother looked at her father.

Not once she had she dreamt she was going to feel as she did then.

Like she was going to the end of something rather than the beginning of it...

All her life she had been sure she was loved by her father. She had been his little beauty and he had lifted her high and told her she was adored.

But now... She was not so sure. She was so far away from everything she knew and she was denied the only thing in the world that she wanted.

"Is my lady ill?" one of her maids asked her.

"It is my wedding day. The only thing wrong with me is nerves," she shook, her head.

She was not going to show how she felt. Not to her.

As the maids put her jewellery on, she focused on keeping her breathing steady. The ladies who were going to be waiting on her during the service then went to finish getting themselves ready.

And then, before she knew it, once more...

"Your royal highness, Sir Anthony is here."

There was only one reason in the world he was going to come to her that day and it was not to kiss her.

Oh, how she wished that was the cause of his mission. It had been the only pleasant thought she had had in her mind when she had gone to bed the night before.

As he came into the room she was struck by how handsome he looked. The doublet he had on was near the same colour as her dress and she could not help but think it was the two of them who looked like a couple.

He looked at her and opened his mouth, then he shut it. She had rendered him speechless.

He had meant to go in and tell her how wonderful the day was going to be, how she should forget the night before. But he did not want her to forget it. If it was the only night the two of them were ever going to get together, then he wanted her to remember it to the day she died.

"My lady, I cannot - I have no words for your beauty, sweet princess."

"And I have no words for the way you have taken care of me since we have let my father's court," she said as she went towards him. She could not look him in the face but she had to say these things. "Sir Anthony, there is not another man in the world... not who can compare to you."

"You are the daughter of a king and soon to be a wife of one as well," he said to her gently. "There are many men in the world, your world that can compare with me."

"No. No, I am not going to let you believe that," she sighed. "You are better than all of them. You are - last night."

"Was wonderful. But it was the only night the two of us are going to get together," he stated the facts.

"Only for now," she said to him. "I am not going to be Queen of France forever. The chances are I am not going to be Queen of France for very long and then when it is over, I am free to be with whom I choose. And I choose you. "

She knew he was all she was ever going to want.

She knew what it was to have a soul mate now.

He looked down on her. No matter what else was in her heart, he knew she was a true romantic. He liked the way her future looked. When he thought about taking her back to Loxley he felt his heart lift.

That was all he wanted, it was the sole wish of his heart.

Yet he was not going to tell her to not dream that dream. His princess was so young. The truth was, she was no more than a child. And to take a dream and to kill it was a wicked thing.

And perhaps he wanted to believe it too.

She bent up and he knew she meant to kiss him. The same way she had the night before.

"We cannot. Not today. for it is your wedding day."

"Very well then. The two of us will wait. But we will be together."

Of that she was convinced. She could not believe that the God she loved so very much would make a soul to fit hers such as his and then not let the two of them be together.

"They say that all the good things in life are worth waiting for," she said as she looked at him.

"Well then, the two of us must wait for one another."

X x x

"Are you going on the hunt today, my lord?" asked Lady Smith as she came out into the courtyard. After all the preparation to get her Princess Mary ready she had had to come out after her as she had forgotten her riding coat.

This was not a time in which the Princess could afford to get ill. Not only did she have the Duke to contend with but she also had the Ottoman attaché to entertain.

With the Queen not always visible it did seem as if she had to be her father's right hand woman.

However, now that she had seen John Bates, Anna was glad the Princess had been forgetful.

There was a longing look in his eye but he shook his head. "I am afraid that is a little beyond my capabilities," he sighed as he looked at his leg.

He had never had the means to hunt, monetary wise, and now he did not have the physicality.

"So it will be an afternoon off duty for you?" she asked.

"Oh, I do not know about that. I have done all I need to and the King will be away playing - I do not see why I cannot take a walk around the grounds," he said as he looked at her.

"Would some company be agreeable?" she asked and he saw there was light in her eyes.

"Yes - yes, I do believe it would," apart from the King he felt as if he had precious few people to talk to at court. And how he wished she was one of them.

She gave him a smile and then she turned to look for her lady. It was not so hard to find her for she had dressed in royal blue, while the majority of the other ladies were in paler tones. She drew eyes, which was how it should be.

"My lady," Anna called to her as she gave her a smile and passed her a hat. The young maid had to say she was surprised she had forgotten her coat - she who had said that day everything had to be perfect.

"Anna - oh, thank you," she said as she saw the reason she had come.

It was hard to get to her through the horses, and especially when she got to her side, for she saw that the Duke was very close to her.

Things had to be going well - at least for that day - as he had a smile on his face when he looked on the face of his betrothed.

"Your Grace," she bowed to him with a smile.

"Lady Smith, you are not coming out today."

"No, not the hunt, your grace," she said as she looked at the princess with a look that told her she would tell her later what had happened.

The ladies maid withdrew and the Princess and Duke looked at one another with excitement.

"I look forward to seeing how your grace does today," she said as her father came into view on his steed.

"While I cannot swear, I am going to be able to match your royal highness, I am going to attempt to give it my all," he told her as the hunt began to ride out.

"Well then - we had better begin."

Matthew spurred his horse into action. Between catching him reading that morning and the way she had spoken to him since the two of them had come out, he was more than able to infer that he was very much in favour with the Princess Mary that day, which was where he wanted to be.

The joy he felt was only marred when he saw that Pamuk was making his way over to the two of them.

But at the end of the day, he did not matter. He was not the man that the Princess was going to marry he told himself. One day, she was going to be his.

The three of them rode out together behind the king. The court followed in equally high spirits and the hunt began.

Anna and Bates watched them go and then turned back in to the castle together, unaware that they were behind watched from the Queen at the window.

Still it hardly mattered as Queen Cora did not acknowledge the two of them in her own mind. The only one that she did acknowledge was her maid of honour Jane, who should be attending on her, but who instead was attending on his majesty with a look in her eye that the Queen did not approve of.

X x x

Matthew could not help but think that the most distasteful thing that happened that day was the way the Lady Moorsum stayed with the king, and so, with himself and the princess.

He had hoped that day he was going to get a chance to learn more of his lord and master. And he was...But he did not like what he was seeing.

"This is not the first time my father has taken a mistress," Princess Mary said as she distracted him from the way he was looking at the King. The two of them rode side by side.

Had she not liked Matthew, then the Princess would have let him stare on until the judgement of the young duke was too much for the King to take.

That would have been a sure way to get rid of him.

But it was an odd moment when she learnt she felt the need to protect him.

"And the Queen does not know?"

"You grace, look around us. We are in front of the whole court and it is not going to be very long until the Lady Moorsum is the talk of it. How likely do you think it is that the Queen will not hear of this?"

He bowed his head. He supposed he had known that. For the last time in a romantic way, his thoughts turned to Lavinia and the childhood love the two of them had known. It was over.

"I want you know it is not going to be like that, between you and I - if the two of us do marry."

"Your Grace, I do believe you have just improved the chances of that happening," she told him sadly, but also a little playfully.

"My princess," There you are the soft voice of Kemal Pamuk came in before Matthew was able to respond.

"Kemal, the Duke and I were - well, it doesn't matter."

If she had thrown him an apologetic look that she had had to go with him then Matthew would have felt better.

But she did not.

She blew hot, she blew cold, she was his friend, she was not.

He was learning this was her way. And if he wanted to court her, he would have to accept that.

X x x

"So after France, you went to live in Yorkshire for a while?" asked Anna.

"Yes," John confirmed as the two of them strolled about the rose gardens together. "My mother was from Ireland but my father was a proud Yorkshire man all his life."

"Was?"

"Not a year after I came back from France, God called him to his house."

"I am very sorry - I know how it feels. When I was twelve, my own father was taken."

"Well, then it is I who is sorry for I had my own sire a lot longer than you had yours," he sighed.

The two of them strolled along quietly.

"To happier matters," he restarted the conversation. "Do you enjoy court life?" he asked.

"I enjoy the balls and the clothes. I love the Princess; she is a good woman no matter what any ones says."

"But court life generally?"

"It can be cruel and mean at times," she admitted.

She was not going to make a liar of herself.

"And you do approve of it?"

"Not of all the back stabbing, no I do not," she confirmed.

"And so you do not want to end your days here?"

Anna considered the question. She was not one for looking into the future. She liked her here and now tolerably well and that had always seemed enough for her. When the plague could come the very next year and lay them all low, there did not seemed to be any point of planning so far ahead.

"No, no, I want what any woman wants, which is to run her own house, be her own mistress and serve her own lord," she shrugged.

"I do not think that is the desire of every woman," he muttered as if he knew something which she did not about her own sex.

"Well then - it is at the very least what this woman wants."

X x x

Once the hunt had stopped for lunch, it became quite clear how high the Lady Moorsum was in favour. She sat by the King, even closer than the Princess and the two of them drunk wine together.

He kept a lazy arm about her.

The lady herself had thought she had been dreaming when she had wondered if the King was going to fall for her again, or at least, once more take her for a mistress. But it had not been so now she saw. The look he got in his eyes when they fell upon her told her that.

There was only one big difference... this time; he did not seem to crave her physically.

Or not yet any way.

"Your majesty," she said as she lay like a cat in the sun after a long winter.

"My lady?"

"Would you like me to come to your chamber tonight?"

She was disappointed when he shook his head.

"No, it is not going to be like that this time, sweetheart," he explained.

"Why do I feel as if there is something which your majesty is not telling me?"

"Because there is something his majesty is not yet telling you," he teased before he kissed her for the whole court to see.

X x x

The Queen of France lay in her marital bed, with her husband the King by her side asleep. She was still a maid.

Curling up on her own side as close as she could without falling out of the bed, she reviewed the day in her mind.

Over all, she did not think it was going to be a day she looked back on with joy.

The ride to the chapel with her maids and Sir Anthony had been silent. She had so much more she wanted to say to him and still did - yet, as the two of them were in danger of being over heard she held her tongue.

The walk in to the chapel had felt as if it was more like a walk to the scaffold. She had clung to his arm for dear life.

That was when she had seen the King.

And she had felt her heart drop. He was nothing like her father; he was nothing like her knight...

He was old. So very old. He had wrinkles everywhere and... and that was her impression of her husband. That he was just an old man. From that moment on, she knew he would not even inspire affection in her. He stood between her and the thing she wanted most in the world.

For years and years she had been training for that moment... but when she had seen her groom, all her training had gone out of the window.

All the lessons she had sat through, the diplomacy, all the French she had been taught... it all left her head. Edith was so glad she had not had to say much before she had time to recompose herself.

By the time that they had got to the feast after, the King was fawning over her in front of the court, holding her hand and kissing it, rubbing her shoulders and ever keeping his eye upon her. She had felt hot and exposed but she could only hope she had managed to put on a show for the court she was now Queen of.

She only sought Sir Anthony's eyes twice, which she thought was quite good of her considering the situation she had been in. Each time, he had offered her a smile, but there had been an anger there she was sure of it.

Not that it was directed at her. It was the situation which frustrated him.

But if it was not for her, then he would not have stayed.

So it was, Queen Edith found herself in her husband's bed. The one blessing of the day was it had exhausted her husband to the point that when he had fallen into bed next to her, he had gone to sleep.

She might have just slept alone for all the chances of a dauphin being made that night.

She lay awake: and dreamt of Loxley in Yorkshire, of a warm hearth and a gentle man.

_Please review!_


	7. Chapter 7

Full credit to the wonderful **Baron Munchausen** for polishing up this chapter!

**Chapter 7 **

"How does your majesty this morning?"

"All the better for seeing my favourite courtier," said Queen Edith as she rose to meet Sir Anthony as he came into her presence. She felt herself relax as he came into see her.

Two days had passed since she had married her King and she was not yet deflowered. She had, however, found she was able to cope with her change of station. And that was to think as her mother did. To hold her head high and to deal with whatever came to her with a smile. She was a Queen and she acted like one.

And she kept thinking: this was not forever. Her state would change once more - and then in time, she would be who she wanted to be.

"You look well," he told her with a smile.

"Please sit with me," she requested.

The two of them were in her presence chamber which had been decorated with her motto and her father's shield.

He nodded and did as he was told.

"How do you find the French court?"

Not as appealing as I did the English one, she thought to herself. But she had not only English ladies but now French ones too - and she knew they were not going to be grateful to hear their Queen declare their court to be lesser than her father's own.

"I am getting used to their ways now I am glad to say," she said to him.

"In two days, my word, you are quite a wonder," he said but the fact she did not laugh made him rather nervous.

He had known she was not telling the truth.

She did not care for the French court, any more than she cared for the French themselves.

"Can I ask you, Sir Anthony, you are not making plans to leave are you?"

The thought of the day when he had to go put the fear of god in to her. As long as she had him by her side, then she had a bit of home with her. And perhaps she was able to look like a young queen in love.

For that was what she was.

"My lord, you are quiet too long," she told him.

"I - once the celebrations of your majesty's marriage is over, I must look to going home," he admitted. The King was going to want his report on how things had gone and if he stayed too long questions were going to be asked. And all hope of a future was going to be taken from them.

"But you cannot leave me here," she told him quietly.

"I have no choice, sweet lady."

"And if you did have a choice?" she asked him.

"Then the two of us know what my choice would be," he said as he shut his eyes.

Perhaps it was because she was so perfectly unattainable. But he found he had never desired her more in his life. But he knew he did not seek her for the thrill of the chase. He wanted to make her his forever.

Taking her hand, he kissed it and hoped she knew deep down, that she truly was his lady. But her eyes did not reflect that fault. She was trapped in a gilded cage and she was scared. He understood.

But for now, they were both powerless.

X x x

"Majesty," said Jane in a little voice as she curtseyed to her Queen. After the day she had been hunting with the Queen she found everything was different. And nothing would be the same.

When she had last been the King's mistress, there had been no chance of her being anything else. But now she was the Queen's rival.

And both of them knew it.

Lady Jane was a rising star.

When she walked through the court, people bowed to her. Men praised her beauty. Women were eager to be her friend.

But she did not think she had ever been as unpopular as she was there in the Queen's rooms.

The ladies who had been serving her for years were loyal to her. Cora was a good mistress and she cared for all of those who were in her service. And in returned they cared for her.

"Lady Jane," she said as she cast her eyes over her.

Nothing would give the Queen greater pleasure than to send her from her service. But she knew she had to play the game. If she was high in favour with the King then she **had** to stay in the service of the Queen or she had no hope of winning Robert back.

And in the end, Robert was going to tire of her, Cora reminded herself, as he always tired of his mistresses. As he had done of Lady Jane herself before.

But perhaps not before Sarah had her hair off.

The lady who caused so much awkwardness took a book and began to read as the Queen tried to relax with a snake in her midst.

X x x

Later that afternoon, Sybil found herself sitting in the crowds for the joust. If she had her way then she would have an attaché and a Duke arrive at court every week.

She did not remember the last time when she had had such fun. Between the horse riding and the dancing, she felt as if she could do this every week if she had to. There had been the boring moments - the feasts, the welcoming ceremonies - but she never found jousts dull. It was an event which she could add to the list of things which she enjoyed.

Not only because she did enjoy the sport itself, but while she was there, she had the opportunity to see Tom, who was there to tend the horses.

And when he was not doing that he had his eyes on her.

Perhaps she was even going to get a chance to go down to see him.

But that time had not yet come and she looked at her sister, presiding as the highest lady of the land for the day.

Once more her mother had decided she was not going to attend the festivities which worried her. She didn't think her mother was unwell any more. There was simply something else going on which she was not telling her. Something Bad. So bad she did not even want to consider it.

And so she turned her attention to the Duke of Manchester who had come out in to the field, upon his horse in his armour.

"His grace the Duke does look quite handsome," Sybil said as she leant across to her sister.

"Yes... yes, he does." Mary nodded as she applauded the Duke with the rest of the crowd.

"The Duke of Manchester will now joust _a plaisance _with Mr Kamel Pamuk," the announcer said and the Ottoman came in on a black horse.

"Our guest does look quite impressive as well," Princess Mary told her.

Sybil did not think he was as handsome as the Duke though.

The two of them came before the centre stand where the two of them sat with the King. Their father looked at the girls with amusement. This was when the King was at his most natural.

"My lady, we both come I think to seek your favours, but only one of us can wear them," said Matthew to Mary.

"Well, then I guess I must bestow them upon he who looks finest in his armour," she said as she got up. Mary looked at the two of them with a playful look in her eye and for a moment Matthew matched her own with his.

But it was then once more that, as if she knew he felt akin to her, that she turned - and she tied her favour to Pamuk's lance.

Matthew looked as if he had already been struck for just a moment.

She had not thought to see him so hurt and that had not been her intention. But she had had to favour one of them, and the one who could keep peace within the realm on an international scale had seemed like the one to go for.

She went back to her seat.

"It does seem as if the Duke bruises more easily than I thought he did Papa."

The King looked at his daughter, and she was relieved to see it was not with disappointment.

He was going to have to toughen up if he did want to become King.

"Think nothing of it, Mary," he said to her with affection in his voice, though he saw now that he and Sybil were the only ones who were able to focus on the entertainment.

Reaching out, Robert touched Mary on the cheek to draw her out of her thoughts.

"I - I did not wish to hurt him."

It was then as he was looking into her eyes that he knew she had begun to feel for the Duke of Manchester, far more than she had been letting on.

"I am sure the two of you are going to be able to talk to one another later today, and sort things out."

She nodded.

The Princess prayed it was so.

"Thank you, father." It was the first time in days she felt as if the two of them had been really connected. Her mother knew more of her, but she would be lying if she did not admit to the fact that the two of them had a special bond.

Robert nodded to her.

"The Lady Jane Moorsum," was announced.

Mary tensed instantly. She knew her father had his mistresses. That was a fact she had grown up with. It was not one she liked, but he was the King and he was going to do as he would. Very much like her mother, she had accepted it.

But this time it was different, and it scared her. They all knew it. She had not said anything, but she thought even Sybil understood. When she had been with the Duke at the hunt she had been able to play the confident Princess - but that was before he had kissed her in front of the entire court.

She did not know what her father was playing at. She did not know why this time it was different but it was.

And it unnerved her to the very depths of her soul.

"Hello sweetheart," she heard the King as he got up to greet her.

The two of them took one another's hand. Mary felt her stomach turn. The two of them looked as if they were in love.

The King kissed Jane, before he turned to his two daughters.

Sybil was looking at Mary. This was a situation where the younger daughter did not know what she was to do. She was her mother's child. She always had been.

But to disrespect Jane would be to displease her father, and that was not something she wished to do. Not for her life would she displease the King.

When she saw there was no answer for her in her sister's eyes, she sought those of Tom Branson who was looking straight back at her from the right end of the jousting ground, steadying one of the horses. And steadying her too.

Was he looking after the Duke or the attaché? She did not know. She was not sure that she cared.

All she saw was the truest friend she had ever had. And she knew then why her heart seemed to skip a beat.

"Sybil darling, will you not greet the Lady Jane," asked her father.

She nodded. It was an instinct. She did not think about it. When her father asked her to do something she did it.

"Lady Jane," she said as she rose with a smile.

"My lady, it is an honour to meet you," the Lady Jane said as she curtseyed.

Sybil nodded as her father looked urgently at Mary to come forward.

But no - she did not blame her sweet Sybil for doing what she was told. She was a child and knew little better.

But she was the daughter of the Queen of England. She was heiress in all but name. Princess Mary of England was not going to bow down to her father's whore.

Somehow, she wished she had not gone to the joust that day. It had been a disaster from the start - and now it was time for it to end.

She got up and she knew Anna was behind her as well as two of her other ladies as she swept down from the stands and began the walk back to the palace.

Let the King have his affair and let the Duke have his tantrum.

But neither of them were going to do it with her blessing.

X x x

Elsie Hughes was not one for going about the court. She kept herself to herself. She always had. It was the safest way she found.

But that day she felt as if she had to. For she had to see the Lord Chancellor. After the way he had come to see her in the days before, she had felt compelled to. No matter what anyone said, she knew did what he in service of the King.

And to no other end.

He was a good man.

She knocked on his door, and it came ajar. She was able to observe him from afar.

He looked a lot like a man in distress. He sat at his desk with his head in his hands. It seemed to her as if he had the whole world on his shoulders.

"Lord Chancellor?" she asked softly.

He turned as if he had been caught doing something terribly wrong. And then there was a sad tenderness there in his eyes when he saw it was her - and her heart went out to him.

"Is there something I can help you with Lady Hughes?"

She allowed herself a smile. "That was what I was wondering," she laughed. "If I might help you. My lord, if you do not mind me saying, you seem troubled of late."

He opened his mouth to deny it. He meant to tell her there was nothing that troubled him and he was as well as a man humanly could be.

But it was not the truth. And he felt so very shy of her suddenly. ... After what had passed between the two of them. However, he still feared how every look betrayed him. He still feared that he could not hide away from her.

Upon seeing how accurate her guess had been, she crossed the floor of his office, knelt before him and took his hands.

The two of them might not be great friends, but there was a bond between the two of them, one which she could not name.

"I wish you would speak to me. The two of us both know that there are not many who we can trust at court, but I hope the two of us have been here long enough to know we can trust one another," she beseeched him with her eyes as much as her mouth.

"My lady, if I do tell you this, then you must hold your tongue and be my friend - even before you are a servant of their majesties. Can you do that?"

She swallowed and nodded even though she was not so very sure she liked the sound of any of that. She liked to think of herself as a loyal subject who steered clear of anything that could be called treason. But then she thought of the religion of her heart. Mayhap she was already a traitor.

And she did with to help the Lord Chancellor.

She nodded.

"The King has charged me to get him a divorce," he said to her frankly.

That was the last thing in the world she had thought he was going to say. Her mind was racing in an instant. Of course, it turned first to her own Princess. If he did that then she knew he was going to rob her lady of her innocence.

She shook her head.

"He cannot - the people would never forgive him, - the princesses would never forgive him," she realised.

"The Queen has not given him a son."

"He has the Princess and the Duke, he needs no son," she said as she got up.

This could be the end of everything. This could be the end of life as they knew it to be. No one wanted to go back to the days of civil war...

"That is not the way that the King sees it," the Lord Chancellor said.

Lady Hughes looked at him. "And you are going to do this? Be part of this? You are going to do this to the Queen and to the Princess Sybil and your Princess Mary?" she asked as she played on his heart.

"What choice do I have? You know I am the King's man. I have always been the King's man," he said as he looked at her with almost anger.

She had been the one who had asked him to confide in her. He had not begged her to listen to him.

She had no right to chide him. He had to do this.

The two of them looked at one another, passion in both of their eyes and she knew he was not going to change his course of action.

The two of them would talk later. But the anger in her heart was too much.

She turned to the door and walked away.

X x x

It became apparent to all of the court that day that the King and his eldest daughter were not at peace. As soon as he had got back from the joust, Robert had gone to see Mary. She might be a Princess but she was still his subject and she had had no right to treat the Lady Moorsum as she did when he had decided that she was worthy of his love.

The fact he had had very little luck convincing her of that fact became apparent when he had left her room red faced and angry, far more so than when he had gone in.

"I am not going to bow to her, Anna. I never will," she told her maid as she paced up and down her room.

"I am sure that is not what his majesty expects of you," the blonde maid told her mistress as she tried to soothe her.

She knew better than anyone what Mary was like when she was in a passion. She would certainly not listen to reason.

"But he did ask me to treat her with respect. How on earth am I meant to do that and be loyal to my mother?" she questioned.

Anna was not sure if she had an answer to that. If she had her way then the Lady Jane would do the decent thing and leave the court.

There was not one of them there which liked drama. There was enough inevitably without added trouble...

She just hoped things were going to go well for her Queen. Neither she, nor Princess Mary or anyone else for that matter had ever had to consider that they might not before.

And it worried the Princess. She was her mothers' child. If there was a new Queen.,..

But this was all hypothetical. She knew her own character. She was a worrier. And her mind raced ahead when it did not have to at times.

She was after all forgetting one very important fact. And that was that her father, with all her heart she believed, loved her mother. The two of them had been together for years. Twenty of them... he was not going to forsake her now. She knew he was not. Deep down, her father was a good man. And she knew he would not be able to live with himself.

That was what Mary believed.

It was then there was another knock at her door.

She did not think she was going to be able to go for round two with her father that day but if she had to then she would. She straightened up.

"The Duke of Manchester is here to see you, my lady."

Once more his hurt expression at the joust that day came to her mind.

In all the worry she had over her parents, she had somewhat forgotten about him and after the spat she had had with her father, she had hoped going to be able to stay forgotten.

But nothing was ever made better by putting it off.

That was one lesson she had learned.

"You had better show him in," she said as she nodded and turned to Anna.

The girl knew what that look was meant to mean.

That she had better leave her mistress.

Matthew came into the room and she knew he was not happy. He was past hurt and he was angry at her. That much was written all over his face.

"I know you did not pick me to be your husband, my lady, but I have come to request that you refrain from humiliating me in front of your father's court."

"Oh, Matthew," she said as she put her head in her hands. So he had come to fight with her. This really was the last thing she needed. "If you think who I give my favour to at a joust really reveals who has my favour then you are mistaken," she said as she looked up at him.

The past few days... had her regard towards him not changed? Had she not tried to champion him, to help him along

The day was not going to be long in the coming until they were man and wife and they had to be united.

"Does it not? For it was to my understanding that these games of courtly romance were significant," he told her body.

"Of course, they are - but Matthew, it is about the look of the thing. We want peace with the Ottomans; my father cannot fight any wars right now. And I did not think I had to tell you about the two of us. We are going to be settled, are we not?"

"Are we, my lady?"

"If you are so feeble as to allow something of such little matter to separate us this early on, then maybe we are not!"

He looked at her. _Feeble._

Ever since he had got there her had tried to impress her. He had tried to change to meet the needs of the King and the Princess and he had tried to understand the court. The last week had not been easy.

And every time he had thought he was getting somewhere she was there to make sure that he knew that he wasn't.

He was tired of it. But he was not feeble.

That he was not.

"I shall see you tonight, madam," he told her and instantly regretted the tone he had taken with her.

It was then, as the guilt hit his stomach that he looked at her, he saw she was tired. She was so terribly tired.

Perhaps she had already been upset when he had come in. She had certainly not looked happy.

But now he had said what he had, he felt as if he could not back down or show concern.

And so he did the only thing he felt he could.

He turned around and walked out.

Shutting her eyes, Mary let her shoulders drop. The last thing in the world she had wanted was to fight with Matthew. She wanted the two of them to grow close and for him to understand that whatever she said and did... well, it was rarely what she meant.

It was then Anna came back into the room.

"Tell my father I am not coming to the feast tonight. I shall dine alone and retire early."

She had had quiet enough for that day.

X x x

"So do you know for sure the Princess Mary is not going to come to court tonight?" Kamel asked his men who had heard the rumours.

He nodded.

"I cannot say for sure but that sounded as if it was going to be that way."

He nodded before he looked about the room. There had to be someone who was going to be willing to help get him to the room of the Princess Mary.

And that was when he saw him.

The last few weeks at court had not been kind to Thomas. First he had the disappointment when Mr Bates had come to court and taken the job he had wanted. Then when the Duke of Manchester had got to London, Thomas was soon to learn he had brought his own household with him. His services had not been required.

It had seemed as if the luck he was having was never going to change. But that was before he had seen the Ottoman attaché approach him with twenty crowns in a purse.

X x x

"What is going on?" Sir Anthony asked as he came into the outer rooms of the King's privy chamber.

He did not think he had ever seen it so busy.

"What is going on?" he repeated to the man at his side.

"The King is unwell."

"Seriously so?" he questioned.

Anthony did not like how joyful he felt when the man nodded.

Turning, he went straight to the rooms of the Queen. He did not want to get his hopes up. And he did not want to feel happy over the illness of an old man. That was wrong and he hoped to his lord that he was going to be able to forgive him for his sinful thoughts.

But one way or another, he did want the Queen of France to be a free woman.

He wanted her to be the Mistress of Loxley, tied to his soul as he was to hers.

Going into her presence chamber, he saw she was on her knees before a candle. No doubt she had asked for it to be brought to her.

She looked the very picture of a devoted consort, praying for the health of her lord.

But he fancied he knew her heart.

Kneeling down by her side, he put his hands together and began to pray for a golden world.

_Please review! _


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you to my dear **Baron Munchausen** for beta'ing!

Warning for attempted rape in this chapter re: Pamuk and Mary - it is, however, in no great detail and over very quickly.

**Chapter 8**

"It has been a hard start for the two of you, and there is not a person in the world that is going to deny that. But you should not quarrel."

"Is that not what I have been saying? I do not wish us too."

The Dowager Duchess looked at her son with something which was not quite laughter, but not quite pity. It was obvious to her how frustrating her son found all of this.

"The problem is," said Matthew as he sat down, "I know it was in part my own fault. And now I worry for her. I... I think she had something on her mind which was worrying her when I went in and now, now I feel as if I want to know what it is. I do care for her and want to lighten her load. If I had not gone into her rooms looking for an argument then things could have gone differently today."

That was beyond doubt. She was his wife or she was going to be... And though they had said no vows yet, his conscience was such that he felt he had a duty towards her.

"If you are that worried for her, maybe you should go back. It never ever does to let these things fester," she nudged him gently.

She did not think she and her own Duke had ever gone to bed on a quarrel.

It made it hard to sleep.

Her son looked at her for a moment as if deciding whether or not she was the right person to take advice from.

X x x

"My lady, the Ottoman attaché is here," said Anna as she came through to Mary's presence chamber.

The Princess was sitting there in a soft, linen gown of gold, lazily eating some sweet meats which had been brought to her.

She was weary. It had been a tiring day for her to say the least and she was more than willing to see it end.

But she was nothing if not yet dutiful, and if Kamel had something to say to her then she would hear it.

"Let him come in," she said as she straightened herself up and gave Anna a smile.

It was clear her maid did not think it was a wonderful idea but as ever she was at her ladyship's command.

"My lady," the Ottoman attaché said as he bowed and entered the room. His eyes were all over her in a moment. The first thing that the Princess noticed was that he was on his own.

"My lord, I am glad to see you. What can I do for you tonight?" she asked pleasantly.

"It is a matter of some importance. I wondered if I might have a moment alone with you."

Anna liked that even less.

The Princess turned to her and the blond looked at her imploringly.

The last thing in the world Anna to do was to leave the two of them alone. But Mary nodded definitely. She felt she was more than a match for the Ottoman attaché.

Anna left the room with reluctance.

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were quite well, my lady. I saw you had a difficult day."

She nodded. That was something she could not deny, and nor did she want to. Even though she knew she had to entertain him as a duty, she felt in that moment the two of them were friend.

"It is kind of you to come. And to say so."

He was a friend perhaps this man.

"Come sit with me a while," she offered as she led him to her table. He took the seat opposite her.

She decided it was going to be nice to be with someone who was not criticizing her for everything she did.

She was always trying, but with Matthew and her father she rarely seemed to succeed.

The two of them sat together and looked at one another.

But it was not very long until the situation became awkward and Mary began to laugh.

"What do you suppose to do in order to cheer me, my lord?" she asked him with a smile. "I do love to play cards if you have some money to lose."

She knew a proper princess in the eyes of her father would not admit to enjoying cards, but she did. She had learnt while they were on progress and she had been taught by an old friend, who had recently left court to begin a printing press. He had been kind to her on a rainy day, offered a distraction. There were some days when she needed distracting that she would he had never left her father's court. Their friendship had been quite platonic but he had power, and was growing more powerful. The sort of friendship she needed.

"I do as it happens," he said and she got up to get the cards with a smile on her face.

But it was then, as she reached in to a drawer to get the pack of cards that the entire mood changed. For it was as she reached in that she felt a pair of hands on her waist.

She spun round.

"You forget yourself, sir!" she said as she tried to push him away.

"Come my princess, do not be upset. The two of us both know that this is we want," he said and that was when she felt his lips upon the back of her neck.

And the one thought in her mind was that this was not what she wanted.

It was the last thing in the world that she wanted. She was a princess and she was another's man's wife. Or she was going to be...

Matthew! Oh lord, how she wished he was there with her then... He would know what to do, how to stop this! She was a Princess of England, she was no milk maid. This could not happen to her. To her of all people.

She had to dominate her own fear, and not allow it to be the other way around. "I'll scream!" she threatened, but even to her own ears she did not sound as intimidating as she wished she did.

If she was her mother or one of her sisters, she might have but she wasn't.

She was the girl who had never been enough. Never a boy, nor a beauty.

And now she was not even going to get to be a virgin when she went to the marriage bed. And she did wish to be.

Tears sprung as he put his hands over her mouth. She had no choice, he was going to take her whether she wished this or -

And she was unable to believe how stupid she had been. Why on earth had she dismissed Anna? How far had she gone? Did she know she was in trouble? If so she knew she would help her...

How had she been such a fool?

"UNHAND HER!"

For a moment she did not know if this was just a wish or a dream playing out in her mind.

But she was in pain and she was afraid... This was no dream. Which meant only one thing. Matthew was there with her. He was in the room. And he was going to save her...

Behind him she was able to see Anna. She wondered if her loyal friend had tried to keep the Duke out of the room. She probably had. Whether it was Anna's concern or Matthew's desire to see her which had won out, she did not care. She was only so glad that it had.

"Your grace, the princess and I-"

"THERE IS NO 'THE PRINCESS AND I' WHERE YOU ARE CONCERNED."

As Mary pulled free of his grasp she almost fell towards her betrothed. She did not think she had ever been so glad to see anyone ever, nor so happy a dream had come true.

But that did not explain why she could not stop crying.

Matthew put his arms about her. He was not like Pamuk. When he held her she felt safe. His embrace was loose and she knew she had only to tell him to let her go and he would.

"I do not know what this looks like," Pamuk began but Matthew had heard enough.

"Lady Smith, if you could go and fetch some guards I think that would be very much appreciated."

No one treated his lady as he had and got to tell the tale.

It was then Pamuk tried to run. To Mary's disappointment, Matthew let her go to draw his sword, and before Mary even knew what was happening; Matthew had the point up against Pamuk's neck.

"You do not wish to move, sir," the Duke explained.

X x x

At the same table where she and Pamuk had nearly played cards just ten minutes earlier, the Princess of England sat with the man she was going to marry. It had not been thought necessary to call the King straight away. Matthew had sent a note to beg leave to call on him later.

As for Pamuk, he was being held by the guards until the Duke and his liege had had their conversation.

But if Matthew had his way he was going to be in the Tower of London before very long.

"How does your royal highness now?" he asked Mary tentatively.

When Pamuk had gone she had sat down and he had no wish to force her back into his arms even if that was where he wished she was.

"I do not know. He tried - " she shut her eyes. She did not have to say what he had tried to do for the two of them knew it. "I cannot put into words how very grateful I am to you."

He shook his head. "You do not have to be. I am just glad I came back - and I am sorry for what I said before," he told her as his blue eyes met her brown.

Reaching across the table, she took his hand in her own.

"As it turns out, you were right. You are not feeble in the slightest."

It was then that the door flew open and the King arrived.

"I got a note from the Duke asking to see me and then I heard Pamuk was und - "

It was then Robert registered his child had been crying.

She had been crying when he had left her earlier in the day of course once the two of them had had their argument over Jane.

But this was different.

"I was going to come to you directly, sir. As soon as I had seen to the Princess," Matthew begun.

"Mary, what it is?"

The Princess struggled against herself but she knew she had to tell the King what had gone on. As long as Kamel was under guard then her father had to know why.

"I can go," Matthew told her gently but she reached for his hand once more.

"I'd rather you stayed," she said as her brown eyes met his blue. There was a warmth there, which had never been so beforehand.

X x x

"The King is dead, your majesty," said the knight to his queen as he sat before her.

God forgive him that his dream had come true so soon but Anthony could not find it in himself to be sorry. If he was honest, then the last few days had been nothing short of torturous for him. He had had to walk the woman he loved down the aisle and give her to a man who was, quite frankly, old enough to be her grandfather.

And then he had had to lie in bed and night and consider the fact -

Well, the facts had been too awful _to_ consider. But it was all over now. Louis was dead. And Edith was a widow, having been a wife for under a week.

Her reign as Queen of France could be measured in hours.

The young woman got up from where she had been sitting. She knew she should not show her joy.

But this changed everything. Her entire life. She had thought she was going to have to wait months, years to go home. And now she learnt she was to depart for England soon.

Very soon.

Of course, she was going to have to wait three months, for it to be attained she was not with child, which she was not. She had no concerns about that... even better, for she could go to Anthony as if there union was her first marriage.

Nevertheless, for now she was the devoted consort. That was what she had to be in the eyes of France. When she did leave their shores, she had to go as a friend.

She made the sign of the cross over herself as she turned to her maid. "Fetch my rosary," she told her. She had to pray for Louis' soul.

That was one thing she would not mind doing for him. While her maid was out of the room, she turned to Anthony and smiled.

That smile said everything she could not. That he had to be patient but a little longer.

And then they could have one another.

X x x

The King of England was not in a good mood, and that was before the messenger from France arrived.

He did not think he was able to put into words the hate that he felt towards Kamel Pamuk. Rarely had he experienced such deep hatred. He knew his daughter. She liked to play, to tease, to flirt... but deep down, Mary was an innocent... perhaps the night before she had been a little foolish, but she was not the first Princess to be so and he was sure she was not going to be the last.

If she had committed any crimes, an idea he did not seriously consider, then he was well able to forgive her. As for Pamuk, it was a different story.

He would not have him executed on the charge of trying to rape the Princess. It was too public, and neither Mary nor Matthew would thank him. Even last night, when tensions were running so high he did not think it was possible for them to be higher, they were both insistent that there be no hint of scandal.

But have him executed he would...

And now came the news that his poor Edith was no longer Queen of France, but already a Dowager. He could not say how sorry he was for her, and how he looked forward to receiving her when she did come home. His child would be treated to every kindness while she got over the shock.

Then, only then, when she was quite recovered, were they going to be able to consider a new marriage for her. It was going to be hard to find a better one, but they would find another.

And she would be happy once more.

Strolling out of his apartments, he made his way through the corridors of his palace. There was one who he had to share Edith's news with.

He nodded graciously to those who bowed as they got out of his way, mumbling a respectful 'your majesty', as he passed them.

Arriving at the apartments of the Queen, he waited until he was announced and only then entered. There had been a time when there was such informality between him and Cora that he would not have waited.

But now their relationship dictated that he did wait to be told to enter.

The ladies all bowed as he went in, and he knew Cora must be in her bed chamber; for she was not there is the presence one. Lady Jane was though, and the two of them shared a smile.

He wiped it off of his face, just as her majesty appeared.

"Darling, I would speak with you," he told her and with a nod she dismissed all of those who had been with her. Darling... so he thought of her as his darling still.

As soon as they were alone, he showed her the letter in his hand.

"Ill news from France. The king is dead and our daughter is a widow,"

Cora could not help but smile. Ever since she had sent Edith away, that was the news she had longed to hear with a desperation only a mother could feel. Soon, she and her child would be reunited.

The King grimaced at her. She knew he did not find these things tasteful.

"Am I now not even allowed to be happy when I am told I am going to see my daughter again?" She asked him.

To that, he did not have a response.

"I have heard rumours I do not like," Cora changed the subject. She had been waiting days for the two of them to talk like this and she was not going to miss the opportunity.

Ever since she had lost the baby she had done her best to be a good Queen and a good wife to him. But she had got tired of getting nothing back.

"You know much better than to listen to unkind gossip."

"If that was all it was, sir, you know I would. But we both know better... do not do this, Robert, you are so much better than this," she shook her head. Where was her sweetheart? Where was the man she had met? She had been so in love with him when the two of them had been young. But now she did not know why.

"It is not for you to give me any orders, madam," he reminded her.

"I am your Queen and I am here to counsel you."

"You are here to give me sons," he shot back.

For just a moment, she was silenced.

Cora gave her husband a hard stare. "She makes you ridiculous, she makes our daughters and I ridiculous. You have a son in the Duke and a dutiful one at that."

Unable to listen to any more, Robert turned to leave Cora before he said anything he was going to regret.

"Do not think to send me away, Robert," ordered Cora as she knew drew herself up to her full height. "I will not go quietly."

X x x

Anna walked behind the Duke and the Princess.

This was one time she did not mind leaving her mistress with a man. She was in her sight. And it seemed to her she was happy.

Or as happy as she was able to be after the events of the previous night.

"I hope you are not too shook up," Matthew said to the woman on his arm gently.

Mary sighed. "Thanks to you, I can say I am not. It was frightening at the time, but - but, he can't get to me anymore," she said softly and quietly. He did not know if he believed her, much the same way she did not know if she believed herself but she was good at putting on a face. She had been doing it all her life. "Perhaps a change of subject," she said to him softly.

He nodded. "I do not know if this is what you meant but - can I ask you a question, your royal highness?"

"I believe you just did, but you can ask another if you do so quickly," she almost teased. She did not think she would be able to do so with anyone else that day.

"Princess Mary, do you want to marry me?"

"No - no, I do not think that was quite what I meant. Why do you ask?"

The truth was he had felt compelled to, not only because of what had happened the night before but because of what the Princess Sybil had said to him, good advice which he suddenly feared he was going against... He did not wish to overwhelm her, or force her to do anything she did not wish to. He was not that kind of man and he prayed he was never going to be accused of being so.

She had to have a choice to break it off. If he was not what she wanted...

"I was brought here from Manchester, to marry you by your father. It was all political and done quickly, and I can't help but worry you and your feelings were overlooked. If this is not what you want, then I am not going to force you. I'll leave court and wish you well."

It was as he said he was going to leave, that he felt her tighten her grip on him.

"No... no, I don't want you to leave. As a matter of fact, I think we could do very well together... and it is not only last night that has made me think so...I can trust you, I know that now, your Grace. I thank you for asking me... Yes," she said as the two of them came to a stop and looked at one another. "I do want to marry you."

She had known that for a lot longer than she let on.

The two of them squeezed one another's hand before they walked on.

Another change of subject.

"Do you know what is going to happen to Pamuk now?" she asked and her voice quivered.

In time, she would recover her nerves completely. But it was still too soon for that.

"Anything less than the noose, and I shall be the one swinging - for murder."

_Please review!_


	9. Chapter 9

All credit, as ever, to Baron Munchausen for being a brilliant better!

**Chapter 9**

Tom Branson was among those who went to see Kamel Pamuk lose his life.

He did not know why. He was not usually one to go to Tyburn. He did not like to see torture and he did not agree with public execution.

But there had been plenty of mystery about this execution. All they had been told was that the attaché had committed treason against the King of England. And for that he had, of course, been sentenced to death.

Of course there had been plenty of speculation about it. Rumour had it that something had happened with the Princess Mary. Perhaps he had got above himself in regards to her...

But who really knew? The only thing any of them did know was that Pamuk had seen Turkey for the last time.

X x x

"A week has passed - is that all? I cannot say how bored I am," said Edith as she and Anthony walked along a cliff just off the channel.

In the week since she had lost her husband she had been moved from Paris to Calais. The new King - Louis' brother - had been kind to her but was keen to begin his own reign, so it was out with the old and in with the new... and Edith was among the old.

Truly, it seemed ridiculous to her that she had to honour this tradition. All of them knew she was not with child. One look at Louis in the last month of his life told anyone that.

"The two of us will be home before we know it," he said to her.

"And when you say home, I pray you mean Loxley," she told him. She was not going to be separated from him.

"Where else?" he asked her.

It struck her that he barely knew her. The two of them had spent so little time together... but the way their souls had woven together in the amount of time they had had together.

The two of them were in such a private place that he dared to place a kiss upon her forehead as they walked along.

She felt herself blush. This was what she had wanted when she had got married. This was the way a woman should feel about her husband.

"Do the two of us have to wait to get home to be married?" she asked him suddenly.

"Your father gave you permission to marry whomever you wished when you returned... I do not see why we should not wait. The King is a man of his word."

That was something she knew. She nodded.

And Anthony was a man of his word too. He did not like sneaking around. He would do things out in the open.

But her father was King too. And sometimes she thought that monarchs were the most changeable beings in the entire world.

"I know. I know that, but it rather feels as if we have been waiting for long enough already," she said as she snuggled into his side.

Wrapping his arm about her, he sighed.

"It really won't be long now," he stopped.

The advantage of being here at the will of the new Kng meant that she only had her English maids with her. All the French ones had stayed in Paris to serve the new Queen.

She left with nothing more or less than she had arrived in France with. And that pleased her.

Tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear, he smiled.

"You are so lovely, my sweet, sweet darling," he addressed her for the first time.

She suddenly felt very, very bold in a way she never had beforehand. And she leaned up.

Cupping her face, Anthony caressed her face with his thumbs, making her whole body tingle. And then, mercifully, he brought his lips down on hers.

"We are going to be so terribly happy," he reassured her.

She nodded. "And sooner, rather than later." She told him. "One does not turn down a marriage offer from the Queen of France, Sir Anthony," she said as she leant up and kissed his once more.

The two of them were going to marry before they crossed back to England.

She was not going to let him go. No one was going to take them away from one another.

X x x

"I did not think you were going to come and see me for a while," said the Lord Chancellor as the governess came in to his office once more.

"Are you really going to do this?" asked Lady Hughes once she had shut the door.

Ever since he had said he was going to have to get the King a divorce it had been all he was able to think about.

The be all and end all of his life.

The guilt he had felt when Lady Hughes had come to see him had doubled in the space of five minutes. She made sure he knew when she disapproved of him.

It had not made his job any easier to know that the one person he valued above nearly all others was disappointed in him... more disappointed than she had ever been in any one else in her entire life.

That was how it felt.

"I told you... I have no choice."

She nodded. Elsie had known he was going to say that.

"In that case I have come to plead with you as a friend to tell someone - the Queen, or at the very least your beloved princess," she said and he looked up at her as if she had just asked him to put a noose around his neck: which she could only guess in some ways she had. "If they are going to lose everything then they have a right to fight back."

"This is what the King commands," Carson said as if that made any difference to her

"The King, even though there are not many who will admit it, is a man made of flesh and body, the same way we are."

It was treason. What she had said was all but treason, he thought, astonished. If the King learnt he had gone against his command then he was done for...

And he was a loyal man, he was defined by his loyalty.

But at the same time he knew what she was saying was corrected, especially in regard to the Princess Mary.

She had called the young lady his princess and she was right to do so. She had been the one he had always wanted to look out for out of the three princesses.

And he wanted to see her on the throne. She was a woman who he could call Queen and bow before, as he had Queen Violet before her. He respected Queen Cora and the two of them had got to know one another fairly well over the past years, but he did not know if he had ever cared for her in the way he had cared for Violet and Mary.

He did owe that to the Princess.

He gave a nod. He would tell her. He would betray himself and his King for the Princess. He had been her devoted guardian since the day she was born and he was always going to be.

"Then you had better go now before you lose your courage."

That stung. Did she think he was so spineless that he might change his mind due to the passing of time?

If he had been a different or a better man then he would have protested... but maybe he was that spineless.

As it was, he had to get to the Princess.

Passing the good lady of his heart, he left his office. He walked through the palace as if he was a man going to the scaffold. He was not sure he wasn't.

When he arrived at the apartments of the Princess, he stopped. He did not know how many times he had gone in there to give her some news or some advice. The two of them had always got on...

The friendship between them crossed class divides as well as age lines.

He had to hope it was going to hold true through the next few weeks... and months if it came to it.

He was announced as he walked into the apartment and then he was left speechless by what he saw.

The Duke of Manchester was in Mary's apartments with her, sitting at her table in a shirt, quite casually, looking at some parchment. She stood behind him looking at something else, in a red dress with her hair up.

The two of them looked quite natural and at ease with one another...

Almost as if they had always been together.

"Carson," said the Princess as she met him with a smile. "What can I do for you today?"

Swallowing, he gathered himself together and bowed to his Princess.

Taking her hand he kissed it. "Good day to you my lady. I wondered if I might have an audience with you?" he asked as he looked upon the Duke with suspicion.

Mary shook her head. "I have no secrets from the Duke of Manchester. Not any more, Carson. Whatever you have to tell me you can tell him," she said as she looked on her husband to be with a smile.

She was not going to have the bond the two of them shared undone. Not now.

The Lord Chancellor shut his eyes. He did not know if this made it easier or harder.

At least she was going to have someone to turn to when she heard the news for he had no doubt it was going to hit her hard. For all the anger between her and her father, he was under no illusions how much she looked up to him.

But the Lord Chancellor did not think he was able to quite trust him.

Still, it did not matter as long as Mary did.

"What I have to say to the two of you is not easy. My lady, would you sit down?" he asked her.

"My," she sighed as she took the chair next to Matthew. "That does sound rather ominous."

She said it with a smile but it was not as light hearted as she hoped it was going to be.

"You see I do not know how to quite say it... I have had an order from the King."

He said as he put his head in his hand. "You see he has been very disturbed by the recent miscarriage of the Queen."

"As was the Queen," Mary told him defensively.

She was not going to have her mother's role in all of this belittled or forgotten. She knew how disturbed her father had been. It had been clear by his behaviours.

"Of course, she has. The Queen has my sympathy, as do you and I beg your pardon if I have caused offence. But the point is, the King is still desperate for a son - a son he no long believes she can give to him."

Mary shut her eyes. The nagging feeling in her stomach had been building for weeks. She had tried to ignore it - to focus on the good spots, her and Matthew...

On the wedding.

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"The King is seeking a divorce."

She shut her eyes and then reached for Matthews's hand. This was what she had tried to deny to her heart all along. She had wanted to think that she and her sisters and her mother were enough...

Not the truth was they were not any more.

"Does he want to make Jane his queen? Queen Moorsum?" she asked disbelief and scorn in her voice, and with hot eyes.

After what had happened over the past weeks, she had not wanted to let Matthew see her cry. Not so soon.

"I fear that is exactly what he is planning," the Lord Chancellor admitted.

He had not said as much to him but it was the only explanation for the way he had been acting with her.

Not once before had he ever flaunted a mistress in this way before.

But it was the only explanation.

"What reason can he possibly have to do this though? I have accepted the Duke and my father knows this. Matthew should be enough, I should - " her voice broke.

"I agree with you entirely, my lady," said the Lord Chancellor after a pause. He looked at his Princess with pity.

He did not like to do it and he knew he would not be thanked for it. But he had seen her go through so much. For the King to do this to her now was a betrayal.

"He says it is his duty to have a son of his own if he can. Princess, the King said I was to tell no one of his plans until they were further along. But I could not allow you to go on in ignorance."

"No... no, I know you couldn't. You've always been so loyal and kind to me, my lord. Since I was quite a little girl."

"Everyone is allowed their favourites."

"Are they? Well I can only be grateful for that," Mary told him. "Oh Matthew," she sighed as she turned to him.

"We will get through this. And there is no reason why even if this does come to pass that Queen Jane should be able to give your father - " Matthew broke off.

What he was saying was treasonous. And he did not like treason.

"We need time. Time my Lord Carson has given us so that we can make a defence and look after your mother," Matthew told her as he put his battle face on.

Mary nodded. "I cannot believe he is doing this to us," she said as she took his hands once more and squeezed them.

Nothing could hurt her. Not like this.

X x x

"Something is going on which they are not telling me," said Sybil as she sat on the pony which Tom was teaching her.

She had once more been able to sneak off, though not so undetected this time.

Whatever was going on, Lady Hughes had been very distracted lately. She had all but told her where she was going and she had been waved off with an order to be back in time for supper.

"I am sure if you have to worry about it then someone would have told you," Tom said as he led her back into the stables.

Looking up at her, he could not help but see the look on her face. She feared something she did not know - and that was the worst thing to fear.

"You did very well today," he said to her to buoy her up. He would do anything to see her smile. He would always do anything to make her happy.

"Thank you," she said as she stroked the mare. "Papa is going to get quite the shock when we go on progress next," she said as she chatted to him like an old friend.

"Well that is the idea, isn't it?" he said as he helped her down and then began to care for the mare.

Sybil felt in no need to rush off.

After everything she did not know why she was able to find so much peace at the stables.

But she did.

"Please don't worry," Tom told her again as she leant back against the stable doors. "You could be wrong," he reminded her.

She nodded. She knew that. And she prayed this stable hand was right and she a princess of the blood was wrong.

She did not think she had ever prayed for anything more fervently.

It was all she wanted. Everything she wanted. The only thing she desired more was a distraction.

"Will you tell me about Ireland?" she asked as he began to groom the pony.

"Now why would a lady so fine as yourself want to hear tales about such savages as us?" he asked and she was well able to hear the bitterness in what he said.

"Because if your people are anything like you are, then the last thing in the world that they are is savages," she said as she went to his side.

For one insane moment she wanted nothing more than to take the hand which steadied the little mare... to slide hers on top of his. And she found that she wanted to tell him things she did not know herself.

Maybe it was the look in her eye, but he understood this moment could not happen.

The two of them could not be. No matter who she loved, she could not -

Well, she was a princess. She was destined for a prince or a duke, at the very least a lord. Who was he?

Mr Tom Branson... Mr Thomas Branson at best, 'Oi, you' at worst.

He was no husband fit for her. And so the spell had to be broken.

"So what would you like to hear of first? My village or my family?" he asked her gently.

The Princess considered for a moment before she looked at him with a smile.

"Everything."

X x x

The following week was not an easy one for the Princess Mary. She had thought that when Pamuk had come into her room she had thought she had hit the low point.

But apparently not.

Every night she sat up in her bed and she thought of her father - and she cried. And then she thought of Matthew and she was happy. And then she thought of Carson and she was so vey very grateful.

She did not think she was able to put it into words.

Her anger was such that she did her very best to stay away from her father. She did not want to see Jane either, for fear she was going to give their secret away.

And so she stayed close to those she trusted. Anna and Matthew.

Part of her did not know how she and the Duke had turned around as they had. When he had got there he was the last man in the world she trusted. Save for Carson, he was the only man she did completely trust now.

"We think we are going to be able to buy some time," he said to her as the two of them went for another walk together. She did not seem to be able to stay still of late.

Walking soothed her. "No one wants hell to break open before the wedding," he told her.

"I do not want it to break around our ears at all," she told him.

"I think that choice has been taken away from us, your royal highness."

She looked at him and for near the first time that week he saw there was something that looked like amusement on her face.

"What have I said?"

"If the two of us are going to be man and wife... do you not think it is high time the two of us dropped the 'my lord duke' and 'my royal highness'?"

"Then I take it when the two of us are alone I have your permission to call you Mary?" she nodded.

"As long as I can call you Matthew."

He paused and looked pensive. "I'll have to think about that."

It was all the two of them could do to keep a straight face.

X x x

"Say we were to wed before we went back to England. I could wear the blue gown. I preferred it to the one I wore to marry the King..."

"My princess, the two of us should wait."

"Is it honestly done to say no when the Queen of France proposes marriage?"

Sir Anthony looked at Edith where she sat like a true queen on a chair in her very temporary quarters.

She was so different to the princess he had met when the two of them had left England. That girl had been brave but she had none of the natural self confidence of the Queen of France.

This was a woman who knew her own mind in a way the Princess of England never had.

And he did not think he had ever loved her more. He did not think he had ever admired her more.

Yet as he considered her question, he found the only answer he had was 'no'. It was not done.

Especially not when one was in love with said Queen of France.

Did it go against his honour to be with the woman he loved? The King had said once she had done her duty, she was free to marry the man she loved. And so if they did wed...

They were not doing anything wrong.

"No."

It was then that she got up. It seemed to him as if she was the cat who got the cream. And it was even more wonderful to think that for one time in his life **he **was the cream.

Once Edith had checked the door was shut and was going to stay that way; she crossed the room to his side and put her arms about him.

Acting on instinct he bent down and kissed her lips. His hand rose to hold hers as it rested on his shoulder.

"Marry me, Sir Anthony. Before we go home. So that we_ can_ go home..."

Against his better judgement but in agreement with his heart, he nodded.

"Very well."

_Please review!_


	10. Chapter 10

As ever, full credit to Baron Munchausen for polishing up the chapter!

**Chapter 10**

"Mama, I told you this because I love you," said Mary as she knelt before her mother and held her hand. For so long she had been the child of her father's heart. For too long...

She should have realized that her true allegiance was always and should always be to the woman who had brought her into the world. She was nobler than her father could ever be, or so it seemed to her in that moment.

She and Matthew had been discussing it for days. How on earth were they going to break the news to the Queen that her days as the Queen of England were soon to be over?

In the end, the Princess had decided it was best if she were to talk to her mother alone.

But now from the look on her face she wished he was there with her. To help to console her mother.

She just wished there was more shock and less grief on her face. The Princess was not the only one who had feared this and seen it coming.

"I know you do, my darling girl, and I can't think what I can do to thank you. How much time do we have? Do I have?"

"Carson is going to try and make sure the King does nothing until my wedding. We can try and buy you two or three months, but we already told papa we are eager to marry."

If she had only held back.

Cora shook her head. "The two of you have to settle. You are not pushing the wedding back."

"We can hold off."

"No. No, I am not going to do that. But I can at least do something."

Mary looked at her mother with new eyes and fresh admiration. She had not thought she was going to be so pragmatic.

There was going to be a time to cry for her marriage. There was going to be a time to grieve for what she and the King had had what now felt a long time ago.

But it was not yet.

"There is an authority which is higher than papa. I think - Matthew and I think you should write to Rome to try and get support."

The Queen observed her daughter with shock.

"You have discussed this with the Duke?"

"Of course, I have mama. He was there with me when Carson brought the news... mama, for now you must not say anything, you know that don't you? This is more than Carson's life is worth and I am not going to let something happen to him."

The Queen nodded. She had known the two of them were friends and the Lord Chancellor, while he had never been close to her had always, always looked after her daughter.

And for that she was grateful. If she was not going to get to be there for her then she was glad she'd still have him.

"No, no the two of us are going to protect the Lord Chancellor no matter what," she said as she looked back at her daughter. "Rome is a very good idea," the Queen said through a thick throat as she shut her eyes.

If only she had been able to carry her son to full term then things would be so very, very different to the way they were then.

She would have been Robert's Queen until the end of their days. He would have loved her above all others.

She put her hand to her throat as she swallowed. This was going to take some getting used to.

"My darling Mary, I love you beyond words. But I need a moment now to gather myself. We can write to the Pope tomorrow."

For now she had to grieve. She did not have to say what she was thinking.

Her daughter kissed her cheek and curtsied.

"Mama, if I can do anything, anything at all for you..."

The Queen nodded and Mary withdrew.

As soon as her daughter left the room, two tears slipped down her cheeks and out of her bed chamber came the Lady O'Brien.

She took the hand of the Queen. She felt so guilty for she saw now she should have done more. She had known as soon as that harlot had come to court that she was going to be trouble. And now she had been proved right.

"Did you hear that?" Cora questioned.

O'Brien nodded. "I did, my lady, and I cannot tell you how sorry I am. She is not - that whore could never compare to you," she said firmly as she tried to find the words.

Cora shook her head. "Jane is the last of my worries. I have to make things safe for my girls now."

If she was to be divorced then the girls were all going to be called bastards and...

"I need a sit down and a drink if I am going to be able to face this," she said as she let her lead her back into her inner chamber.

She had a lot to think about.

X x x

"The priest is going to be here tonight," said Anthony as he approached his lady and put his hands lovingly on her shoulders.

The last week had been a very busy one for him.

Ever since Edith had brought him round to the idea they should wed on French soil, their life had been more than a little busy.

She had had to identify which maids were going to be able to help them, and then they had got to work arranging the ceremony. It was to be a rather smaller affair than her last wedding of course.

Smaller than even his last wedding.

But that was not what was important, to either of them. The important part came after.

"And then the two of us can begin to live our lives."

"Yes," he said as her bent down to kiss her, but for the first time ever, she pulled away.

His eyebrow rose in question.

"You can kiss me when I am your wife and not before," the dowager queen decreed.

After the two of them waited to be together for so long, she decided it was time for the two of them to wait for everything...

Because now, it was sure to come to them.

X x x

"Carson, I have some good news for you!"

That was not the way the Lord Chancellor had thought the King was going to greet him. All the way down to his apartments, he had been able to feel his heart rate rising.

If it came out that he had warned the Queen then the wrath of the Lady Hughes really was going to be the last thing on his mind.

As it was, for now it seemed he was safe

"What is that, my lord?" he asked humbly.

"It does seem as if the traitor Pamuk's father fell from favour not so very long in his own land before his son did in this one. The Turks could not give a damn that their once favoured son is not going to be returning to them."

When he had said to the Lord Chancellor that they had to execute the Turk, the King had known Carson had been far from happy about it. After all they had not brought him over to England because he was insignificant. He had had a job to do and he feared that diplomatic relations were going to worsen.

As it was, lady luck had smiled on them for once.

"That is good news, my lord." Carson still did not understand why he had had to die. The King had said it was something to do with his lady, and so he had done it for his lady Mary.

But he had not been completely sure.

"Isn't it? Have you any good news for me?" the King asked pointedly.

"I have been looking into the matter in hand and I have discovered there may be some basis in theology for your majesty's divorce." Carson admitted.

Ever since he had told Mary what had happened he had felt as if he was bound to her. As if he was bound far more to the Queen than to the King.

But he had to remember he was the King's man. He was the one who had raised him high.

He was the one who could take his life if he wished to. And as much as he pledged himself to the Princess, he had still had to do what the King had asked him to.

"I am glad. As long as things are going along like this, then I will remain most pleased with you. The date for the wedding has been set. Four weeks after the return of my poor daughter Edith." The King looked solemn. "She will return to us in two weeks."

"Yes my lord, her apartments are being made ready."

"Poor child she is going to be distraught. Imagine going all that way..." he sighed, then once more changed the subject. "There is another matter too. With the fall of Pamuk, Lord Braxton and his son feel it is time for the two of them to return to the country for a while. I want their apartments made ready for the Lady Jane. Even though it is not widely known that she will soon be Queen, God willing, I do not want her waiting on Cora any longer. Not now, it is not right."

"I will see to it that your good lady can be housed there as soon as possible," he said to him.

The King nodded. "Good. I know if there is no one else on this earth I can rely on, then I will always have your loyalty," Robert said to his man with what seemed to Carson now, arrogance. He would never have dared to think so before hand.

If there was one person on earth who was always going to have the loyalty of the Lord Chancellor then it was not the king but his eldest daughter. She was the one he could never in all faith abandon, he thought to himself.

"You can rely on it, my lord," Carson said to him and for a moment worried that the King was going to hear the lie in his voice.

He did not think it had ever been so obvious.

But either the King was not listening or too focused on thoughts of Lady Jane for he did not seem to register it at all.

"Is there anything else, my lord?" he asked as John Bates came into the room with his majesty's breakfast.

"Not currently, Carson."

"Then I will take my leave."

As he did so he caught the eye of John Bates and he was sure he was able to see something that appeared to be pity there. He was not sure if he liked the fact that he was pitying him but he knew why. He did not know if he was able to trust him either.

But he had a sudden feeling he was not completely on the side of the King when it came to the divorce.

And if the two of them - the King's most trusted servants - were not on his side... then who was going to be.

Troubling times were coming.

It was with a heavy heart Charles went back to his office. For the first time in years, he felt the desire to leave court before the overwhelming desire to protect his lady once more over took him.

He had to stay strong. Now more than ever.

But he had not completely abandoned his lord yet. And suddenly he feared for the King.

And for his reign.

Just because he did not want the King to succeed, did not mean he did not have a care for the succession after all.

Upon going into his chamber, he found his page William was there and he was waiting with a cup of wine.

"I do not think I have ever needed that more, Mr. Mason."

He could not put into words how lucky he had got when he had found William. Now there was a man whose loyalty could not be questioned.

Unlike himself.

"While you were with the King, the Lady Hughes came." He informed him.

"Did she leave a message?" asked the Lord Chancellor as she sat down.

"Yes. She just said thank you," William informed him.

To the page it made no sense. But to Charles, it was the validation he had needed.

Somehow he knew he was doing the right thing.

X x x

"My lady, the material from France is here. Do you want to have the fittings this afternoon or in the morning?" asked Anna as she looked at Mary.

The lady herself was at her virginals with her lord stood by her side, listening as she played.

"Let us strike while the iron is hot. This afternoon."

Her wedding dress was the most important item of clothing she was ever going to wear.

And for all the worry in her life, she was very much looking forward to adding the Duchess of Manchester to the list of her titles.

"Are you going to be able to entertain yourself for a while?" she turned teasingly to Matthew.

"I must say I would far rather remain - "

"The impertinence! You've not got a chance of that, darling!"

"Then in that case, I guess I am going to have to attend my mother. She is having the Dowager Queen for tea this afternoon."

"All of her?" Mary asked as she raised her eyebrow. The two of them smiled at one another before Mary's face turned soft.

"That will be a very trying afternoon. You have my sympathies."

"I am sure I do," he said as he stood by her side with a smile.

She turned to him. It felt as if the two of them were getting so caught up in what was going on with her mother and her father that they were forgetting that this marriage was not solely political. It had started out that way - but it was not anymore. "Are you looking forward to the wedding itself?"

"Yes. Darling, I am looking forward to all kinds of things."

"Don't make me blush," she told him as she leant over to kiss him.

What she was not going to tell him was that she was as well. After Pamuk she knew it would be the easiest thing in the world to shut herself off from the man she loved.

But she wanted Matthew. And he was a very different kind of man to the kind Pamuk had been.

X x x

"I may not know you too well but I know when something is wrong," said Anna as she went out into the gardens.

Bates turned when he heard her voice.

She had been helping tidy the rooms of the Princess Mary when she had seen him out there with his shoulders slumped over. He was not the happiest man, she had always known that. But that day there was more to it.

As she touched his arm, he smiled. She had been nothing but good to him since he had arrived. When he had come to court, he had done so to get a job. He had not thought he was going to find such a friend. He had not thought friendship such as hers even existed.

But how on earth was he meant to confide in her what he knew? The King did not want his desire to be divorced to be public knowledge.

"There is. And I thank you for trying to help me but I do not think I can tell you what's wrong," he explained. "But you being here is enough."

Taking her hand, he sighed.

"You are an enigma, that is for sure," she told him as she held the hand in hers. Now he had given it to her she had no intention of letting it go.

The two of them walked along. "If I am honest with you, then I think I know what is wrong," she relieved him of his burden.

"I do not think you do."

"I know that the Queen is in trouble," She said quietly to him.

He looked at her with shock on his face. "I did not think anyone knew. How did you find out?"

"You know as well as I do that I cannot tell you that. I would not want to put you in a position that you felt pressure in. But what I am saying is that if you do need to talk about it, then you can," she told him. "And you know if you need to talk to me then I will be your counsel. I promise you that. You can trust me, John Bates."

"Thank you Anna. That makes me feel ... better."

The two of them walked in a comfortable silence.

X x x

"You are so beautiful."

Anthony could say no more. They did not do her justice, but she rendered him speechless.

The way he had said those four words was going to live in her mind until the day she died. They were said with such meaning and such feeling...and were said to her the moment she got to the altar to become his wife.

This is what it feels like to be a real bride, she thought to herself. She could not feel more different than when she was marrying the King.

This was the way it felt to love. That was something Edith had feared she was never ever going to get to feel. But Anthony had changed all of that.

"You look so... handsome," she said as she looked down at the floor.

For all the love between the two of them, the altar at which the two of them were going to marry was not the place to flirt at. This was the most solemn day that she was ever going to live through.

There was going to be no third marriage. It was only going to end in death and if it was not her own, then she was going to go into a convent and wait for the day she was going to be back with him.

There was never going to be a soul which fit her own like his.

They took one another's hands and knelt before the priest, the moon shining through the stained glass window...

And before it the two of them swore that they _did. _They _did _love one another above all others, and they would forsake every other living being for the other...

That they would love one another, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. ..

She would serve and obey him and he was always going to keep her safe.

And what God had put together that night while the two of them had stood professing their love surrounded by candle and moon light... No man could ever put asunder.

If they had wed in the morning then they would have gone on for breakfast, to eat together as equals as man and wife for the first time. As it was, they retired to her chamber and dismissed her maids and his manservants.

"I could not love you more," he promised as he took her hand and kissed the back of it, softly making his intention to fulfil her wish known.

He was no old man and he was not Louis. And she would rise the next morning his wife in every way. Something quite primal came over him as he looked into her eyes. He could not remember ever wanting Maud in the way he desired Edith. He had loved her with all his heart...

But he loved his little queen suddenly with a passion he had never quite experienced before.

If he had to sell his soul to the devil for that one night with her, then he would. But thankfully it was not required.

"I know that," she said as she put her hands behind her back to undo her corset, to only be stopped by a shake of his head.

"Allow me," he asked as he brushed past her and began to undo her dress.

She had not expected to ache so soon, but when he removed her sleeves and kissed her shoulders the moment they became bare she could not deny it to herself.

Desire was a sin - thus, she would pray to God for forgiveness when she rose the next day, But for that night, she would trespass against him. Her skirt came undone quite easily once he had removed her corset, leaving her in nothing but her thin undergarments.

She seemed ever so tantalizing as the two of them swapped roles. He could see her youthful, full figure through the material. And he was thrilled to know it belonged so suddenly and miraculously to him.

"You could have any man in the world. Why me?" he asked as she began undressing him, loosening his doublet. "You're the most beautiful princess in Europe."

She paused for a minute.

Why him indeed? The first thing that sprung to mind was the fact he was the first person she felt had ever really bothered to see her.

There were so many who had given her that title. But he was the first to make her feel it. He had kept her safe and sane when there was not another man on the earth who would have even dared to.

He did not fear her father.

But all that suddenly felt terribly long winded. So she just cupped his face, and sighed longingly.

"Well those eyes for a start," Edith whispered. "And they are in themselves quite enough of a reason to be going on with."

Bending down as if she was a lowly maiden of some god forsaken village, she removed his shoes, his hose, his tights...

Until he wore nought but his shirt.

And that was when she suddenly felt rather nervous. She was a teenager, in foreign land, about to take part in a deed that was equally foreign.

She felt herself breathing heavily.

Placing a heavy kiss on the forehead of his little bride, Anthony made her look at him. "We don't have to."

"I want to - it's just... different... but not... kiss me..." she begged as she stood on her tip toes, the soles of her bare feet leaving the floor as he pulled her into his arms.

Pulling at her thin undergarment, he exposed her shoulder and kissed it once more. She found her own lips pressed up against his ear.

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yes," she sighed. He was her safety, her defender, her friend... and most importantly, her husband. Her own dear soul. "Please..."

She needed to say no more. Bending down, he swept her bare feet off the floor and picked her up, making her giggle. The two broke apart and shared a secret smile before she wrapped her arms around his neck and began kissing him earnestly once more.

Anthony made for the marital bed.

No more desire, no more longings... just one another, at last.

_Please review!_


	11. Chapter 11

As ever, much thanks to the best beta ever, Baron Munchausen!

**Chapter 11**

Edith sat below deck with a smile on her face.

She was a very different person from the girl who had crossed the sea to France.

When she had been on her way she had been so nervous - and sad. She had been terrified about what life was going to do to her.

But now she knew what her life was going to hold. Because she had been the one to take control of it.

She was going to be the mistress of an English house and she was going to spend her life with the man she loved. They would go to court when they had to, but otherwise would live out their lives quietly with their children for company.

That was all that mattered to her. She just had to hope her father was going to see that. When they had been in France it had been so important for her to marry Anthony so that there was no chance her father was going to get a possibility to take back what he had said to her. She was able to admit it to herself now, plainly.

But that did not mean he wasn't going to be angry. And the nearer they got to the English coastline, the more she felt the weight of that.

"Whatever happens when the two of us get home I have no regrets, darling," she said as her husband put his hand on her shoulder.

"Nor do I," he muttered as he bent down and kissed her cheek. "But this was what wanted for you. And so I am sure once he has seen your father how happy the two of us are, he is going to be happy."

It made her smile... the way the two of them had swapped opinions... how he had been infected with her optimism over how the King was going to see their nuptials... and how she had caught his fear.

"Let us hope so," she said as she looked at him. "Tell me all about Loxley."

"My sweet, ever since the two of us have been married, I have told you every night what our house is like."

When the two of them were in bed, wrapped in one another's arms she smiled.

"Our house. I do not think I am ever going to ever tire of hearing you say that."

He grinned. He did not think he was ever going to tire of saying it either.

"And I know you have told me many times, but please, tell me once more. I cannot wait to see it and be there with you."

"Well, it is a big white house..."

X x x

"As much as I want to talk about the wedding and make sure we are ready for it when it comes, we really do have to focus on Edith for the next week or so. She is going to need a lot of soothing when she gets home."

"What is she like? As you know, I only arrived when she had gone."

"The most important thing to know about my sister is that she is a beauty."

"But not more beautiful than you are," he said to her.

"I must say, my dear Matthew, that is the right answer," Mary laughed before her face once more turned sober. "But she has had a rough month. She has had to go away to a foreign land and marry a man she had never met. Then he died and she has to come home. She may have been a Queen of France but this is no triumphant return for her."

The Duke sighed.

"I cannot imagine what it is like for her to have to come home."

"I should think she is very much looking forward to seeing our mother once more. The two of them have always been close - Edith is a very religious woman ... more so than Sybil and I," she admitted to him. After all the time the two of them had been together he knew better than most that while she did believe in God, she was not the most devout member of the court. "It was a knife to my poor mother's heart when she did have to go."

"The good lord knows if there is one thing your poor mother needs right now it is a little bit of cheer."

"I did not think she was going to hold up as well as she has. Of course, Papa knows something is wrong as she is doing all she can to avoid having to see him right now," Mary sighed.

"I do not think any of us can fault her for that."

"I just dread this leading to the King finding out that Carson told me what he is planning."

"There is no one who is going to go to him and tell him."

"We both know that Whitehall is crawling with spies and I am sure that the majority of them belong to my father. He is not one to let things get out of his control."

"He is the King and he has had to be that way. It was not as if my father gained the crown from his father. He gained it on the battlefield and he is going to defend it on the battlefield once more if he has too."

The two of them looked at one another.

"I am just as frustrated by all of this as you are. I know what you are thinking. He has two viable heirs."

"But neither of us is a son - not in the real sense," Mary sighed.

That was what it was always going to come down to. Always.

X x x

"He has to do something to help you. It is not right that he can leave you here in the situation you are in."

"He is a man. I do not know why I expected more."

"Because he is the heir to Saint Peter."

The Queen looked at her devoted servants and she knew she was right. The Pope had almost flatly turned down her request for help politically: she was well able to see why he would do such a thing.

She was not going to be able to raise an army of Englishmen. She was no Isabella of Castile. Robert was a lot closer to him than her family was... .

And she did not think they were going to be able to help her. She did not think her brother was going to be willing to invade to help her. She was going to have to find her own defenders - that was, if she was able too. If she was able to find a man who was going to be willing to go against his king.

"O'Brian, can you go and find my eldest daughter?" she asked.

The last thing Cora wanted to do was to get Mary in trouble with her father.

That would serve to help none of them. But she had more connections at the court than her mother did. If there was a way to get help, then it was going to come from Mary's circle.

At the end of the day she was still the Queen of England. She had power. And who ever helped her could have some sort of power too - or at least, that was the way she had to sell herself...

She shut her eyes. If there was one thing she knew it was that she was not going to go down without fighting.

She just wished none of this was happening.

X x x

"I cannot let you go in there on your own."

"He is much less likely to strike me. Besides, he will not yet recognise you as part of the family. It is my job to make him see you thusly."

"Still, I do not want you going in to the King with no defence."

"Anyone would think you question my father's honour."

Sir Anthony Strallan looked at his wife and tried to work out if by doing so he had offended her. He was sure she had been the one to call into question the honour of kings first, but he did not want to argue with her. She was young and could be more than a little tempestuous as he was sure anyone of royal blood could be.

Quite asides from that since the two of them had got married; their life had been full of blue skies. He did not want to fight with her.

That was the last thing he wanted to do.

"No - but at the same time, you said yourself he might not - "

Crossing the floor to his side, she pushed her lips to his. He felt some of the stress go out of him. Not all of it - but the nearer she was to him, the more relaxed he was. But how was he going to relax if she went in to face her father on her own?

He had brought her back to London as his wife. And he felt that it was time he told the world that - or at least the court.

"He is my Papa as well as the King," she told herself as much as him. He was not going to hurt her.

Before she lost her courage she left her husband to go to the side of her father.

The journey home had been a long one, but she was sure it was one which was going to be worth it. She had missed her family, and as much as this was a reunion of a king and a princess it was also a reunion of a father and, she hoped, his still beloved daughter.

And then she was going to get to go and see her mother. And that thought was nothing short of blissful.

She had missed her so... and she had a feeling the Queen was going to be glad to see her... dare she even think it; that her mother would be glad she had married where her heart had led her.

And then there were her sisters too. They were precious gifts; she had realised when she had been in France.

It was high time she began to treasure them. But before she did she had to see her father.

Edith could not help but muse it was almost as if she had never been away as she walked through the corridors which were going to be imprinted on her mind as long as she lived.

Almost...

Arriving in the room before her father's inner most chambers she felt herself take a deep breath.

It was only then she felt as if she was truly home. How many times had she gone to see him before? This was what was normal. And it was soon going to be normal once more.

The guards opened the doors for her - and she was reunited with the one man in the world who could claim just as big a space in her heart as Anthony could.

If he still wanted it when he learnt what she had done.

When her father clamped eyes on her for the first time she felt relief, for there was nothing but love for her in his eyes. She wondered if it had all been in her head.

If she had made him harder and crueller in her absence than he was.

"My darling daughter."

He rushed to her side. Robert did not think he had slept easy since she had been gone. He had known he was not going too as well. She was his child and he had sent her...

Well it did not matter.

What mattered was that she was home and safe once more and the two of them had time to be together to plan out her next move.

He kissed her forehead as the two of them embraced. For what felt a couple of minutes the two of them remained locked in one another's embrace. Even when he did step back, Robert took her hands in his own, eager to keep the child he had sent so far away close to him suddenly. The relief she felt was overwhelming until he said five words.

"You are not in black."

They changed everything. They changed the entire atmosphere and she felt her trust in his love for her weaken. All it had taken was five words.

The love left his eyes.

He was judging her, that was how it felt. And as suspicious as he was of her all of a sudden, she had been found wanting. If any of his daughters was a rebel, then it was not her. Mary was the one who had been born with all of the fire, and she did not think Sybil was going to be easy to handle when she came of age.

But this was the first time she had even slightly gone against her father. She still did not think she had entirely.

"No, your majesty," she said as she bowed to show her respect to him which she had no doubt was soon going to be called into question.

"You might be home, Edith, but you still need to show respect to the people of France and mourn their King. I know it was not for very long," just a few weeks, "but you were still their Queen. Your husband is dead."

"But he is not, Papa," she said as she dared to look at her own King.** He** was her King. Louis had never been.

And now he was looking as her as if he did not know the woman in front of him at all. She was so changed from when she had left. The King was not sure if she had taken leave of her senses. He could not help but wonder if the upheaval of the last few weeks had upset her mind - but there was such clarity in her eyes that he was not able to believe that.

"I do not understand you."

"The King of France is dead but my husband is not. He is very much alive," she said as she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"I am not any more enlightened."

"Papa before I left for France, you told me when I was a free woman, I could marry a man of my own choosing."

"I did," Robert said tensely.

But it was all he was not saying which she was hearing. That yes he had given her permission. But it had been set down upon some unspoken conditions. That when she chose her man he had to be approved of, for she was still a princess by blood. That she had had to wait a suitable about of time.

That she had to ask him for permission.

"I fell in love, Papa. What was I to do? He is such a wonderful man," she said as she felt her breath quicken.

She had expected her father to rant and rave against what she had done. She had thought...Well, she did not know what she had thought he was going to do.

But the one thing she had not been expecting and the one thing she did not think she was able to stand was this silence between the two of them.

If a pin had dropped she knew she would have been able to hear it.

She had to get some kind of reaction - that was her main thought. Once she had had a reaction from her father then they were going to be able to move on and even better than that she was going to go and see her mother who smhe had missed so much.

And Mary too. She had a natural curiosity about this Duke.

But first she had to deal with her father.

Taking his hand as she moved closer to his side once more, she looked up at him with her gentle eyes.

"Papa?" she asked. "Your majesty?"

"It's Strallan, isn't it? I sent him to look after you and he is nothing if not a man of honour or, so I thought. If you had tried to marry another man under his care then he would have sent him away, he's diligent. It has to be him."

She nodded. If what she had done was wrong, which she did not think it was - well, she was not going to_ start _doing wrong now. And as far as she was concerned there was no greater wrong in the world than to deny her husband.

The two of them. They belonged together. And she loved him.

"He is the most wonderful man."

"He is a traitor."

"No - no, don't say that!" she said as she felt tears well in her eyes. She knew just as well as anyone else what happened to a man when he was called a traitor.

It only ever ended one way and she was not going to let the best man she had ever had the fortune to meet die for the sin of loving her.

"Lady Strallan, I suggest you go to the chapel and you bend your knee to the God you love and asked Him for the strength to remember who you are."

It did not take her father fifteen minutes to arrange to have her husband arrested.

X x x

There were days when Sybil wanted to do nothing more than to run from her family and the palace and forget the life she had lived. This was one of those days.

She had been looking forward to the return of her elder sister from France. But just like her mother and Mary she had not thought it was going to be a cause for misery.

After around a month of separation the first time the youngest Princess of England saw her elder sister again - and when she did, she had her head in the lap of the Queen, and she was sobbing her heart out.

"This cannot be happening," said Sybil softly as she went to stand at Mary's side.

The eldest Princess did not know if she agreed with Sybil. Her father was King, and though she hated him for the choices he was making at that moment, she knew he could not afford to appear weak.

The fact was Edith should not have compromised him as she had.

But she did not think she was able to see this completely politically. She knew what it was to be in love with someone. She had just got lucky. She had fallen in love with the man whom she had been told to marry.

"You have to stop this Mama!" said Edith to her mother as she looked up at her with hope in her eyes, knowing the Queen was in fact her last hope. If she was not able to save the life of Anthony Strallan then she did not know who was going to be able to.

Smoothing down her daughter's hair, Cora sighed. The poor sweet child had no idea how far from grace she herself had fallen when she had been in France.

But Edith was her daughter and she did not think she had ever seen her so scared. She had to try. There had to be a way.

"I do not know what I can do for you, but I will try, my little one," she told the distraught teenager, who seemed younger to her mother than she had done in years during that moment.

That was all Cora could say. She would try.

X x x

"The Princess was very wrong to act as she did," said Jane as she held on to the King's hand, kneeling beside his chair as she did.

Robert's eyes flashed at Jane and for the first time she had to admit to herself she did not feel entirely comfortable with the King. There was anger there.

She knew she had been stating the obvious when she had said Edith was wrong to do as she had but she did not know what else she was meant to say. She did not how to comfort him.

"I did not mean to speak against the Princess."

"Why not? As you said she has done wrong," he muttered very far away.

Again, a wave of helplessness washed over her. She felt the two of them were moving into dangerous territory and if there was one person who knew how volatile he was at that moment, she felt she was able to say it was her.

Whereas he had begun to distance himself from the Queen and the Princesses were not as close to him as they had once been, she was with him. Emotionally, he had opened up to her. He felt she was his safety - or so she had thought before that day. Suddenly, she did not feel that. Either way she could not comfort him and she had the deeply uncomfortable feeling he did not want her with him at that moment.

For the first time since she had returned to court she was aware of the fact she had to start playing the game - or else the other pieces on the board were going to take her out.

X x x

"My lord, may I speak to you?"

Two hours after the mistress of the King had left him, the Queen arrived.

Cora was ninety five percent sure she had made her choice. She had lost the love of her King and somewhere in her heart she knew she was not going to get it back.

All she had were her children. If she could protect them, then she would.

Thus, she had done the only thing she could.

Cora put on one of her velvet gowns, as well as the jewels of the Queens of England and she did something she had not in quite some time.

She went to see the King.

When she arrived at the rooms of the man who was, for now, still her husband. She found him sitting down with his head in his hands - alone. There was a time when she would have gone straight to his side when he had so clearly had a bad day. She would have tried to offer some comfort... But not now.

Looking up, he gave her a curt nod, acknowledging her arrival and her right to speak to him.

Cora crossed to the window so she was able to look out of the window. She did not want to look at him when she did this.

"I know I have no right to ask it of you, but I beg of you to spare the life of Sir Anthony Strallan."

"The man is a traitor."

"The man is the husband of our daughter by your will or not."

He took a deep breath and tried to understand why when he had been with Jane he had been angry but now when he was with Cora, he felt calm. As if she understood why he was reacting the way he was. There were no stupid obvious statements, just truths stated boldly. There was a difference.

A definite improvement.

"I'd look weak."

"You have just had the son of a diplomat killed and you have not even published a reason."

"He took my daughter without asking." Whether Robert was referring to Pamuk or Strallan in that moment he was not sure... he guessed it did not matter. The only difference was one had died yesterday and the other would die tomorrow.

"There is a difference - she gave himself to him."

"She is not her own to give away."

"Robert she did as you asked."

"She did not, madam," he replied.

Knowing as she did his mood, she did not try to argue the point.

"I am asking you not to kill him."

"And why would I not?"

"Because no matter how far the two of us have grown apart, the one thing we have in common is the love we bear our three daughters."

"How much do you love her?" Robert challenged Cora.

She shut her eyes. Check mate.

"Enough to..." she broke off. She had one last opportunity to consider.

It was not only Edith she had to think about. It was Sybil too. Now she had Matthew to look after her, Mary was not such a great concern. Not only that but she had always been far more political than her sisters. She was a survivor, no matter what.

Sybil... she had her own strength too though. Maybe she thought the Queen was blind, but her apartments faced the beaten track down to the stables and when she had first seen her going there she had been terrified.

But now she was glad she had seen Sybil sneaking off... the girl had given her mother enough strength to defend Edith, who had been so unsettled of late. Her beauty may have gained her womanhood but the price had been her innocence. And that broke Cora's already shattered heart all over again.

Not even for the sake of Sybil was she able to turn off the path she was on.

"To leave... to divorce you and to leave you to your whore. Just don't do this - do not take the one thing in Edith's life which makes her heart sing."

Robert scoffed. "How would you know he 'makes her heart sing'?"

"Because I looked into her eyes today and I saw how she felt... it reminded me of the way... the way I felt when we met," she said as a tear dribbled down her cheek.

She curtsied. "Please... I will never ask for anything ever again, Robert. Just don't do this."

_Please review!_


	12. Chapter 12

As always, thank you to my dear Baron Munchausen for being a wonderful beta!

**Chapter 12**

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Anthony sat in his cell in the Tower with his eyes shut. When he had heard the soldiers coming for him, he had been quite calm. Because he knew there was always going to be a chance he and Edith were going to end like this. He had allowed himself to fall for her and he had persuaded himself that it was all going to be alright. Even when in his heart...

He had wanted that to be the case. Had he not been so stupid or selfish then he would have said no..._ restrained _himself. But she was so beautiful and clever and sweet and... the two of them had both been so lonely... that he found her... and he was unable to resist her.

And why should he have? He had never thought he was going to find love once more after he had lost Maud. But he **had**. And for what little time the two of them were together, he was glad they had it. They had been, for one sunlit day, gloriously happy.

He regretted he had hurt her. But he could not regret being with Edith for those nights he had been.

What remained was this: he loved her. He loved her body. Her soul. And he would die loving her if he had to.

He was not sure how long he had been there in the Tower when he heard the footsteps coming. He made the sign of the cross over himself and clasped his hands together.

If there was one prayer on his lips, it was that no harm came to she who meant the world to him. He did not care about himself... But he was no longer at the side of the Princess. And that meant he could not protect her if she was going to come to any harm - and that scared him.

More than he was able to say.

He heard the key in the door of his cell and once more he steeled himself.

He would not beg for mercy. He had always been open with those he loved - he had always worshipped his god. Any sins he had committed when he had betrayed the trust of his King, he asked forgiveness for, but even that he found he was only able to do half heartedly. He was not sorry for falling in love with the most wonderful woman in the world.

He was not.

The door opened - and the Lord Chancellor walked in.

"Lord Carson," he said respectfully. He was not going to beg or petition him. He was just doing what he had to. Charles was the King's man. He only ever did his duty.

"Sir Anthony," the elder man greeted him with a nod. "I am here to tell you that on further reflection of the situation the King has decided to give you a reprieve."

If there was one thing he had not thought he was going to say it was that.

"What are the conditions?" he asked. He was no fool and he knew there was going to be some.

"Your income is to be reduced, as is your household. Some of the monopolies you hold will be stripped. You will not be welcomed at court until such a time as the King has decided to forgive you."

"I care nothing for any of that - " he said to him fiercely. "My wife - where is she? How is she?"

"Lady Strallan is with her mother and has been since you have been in the Tower. In time, the two of you will be reunited and both of you will then be banished from court until such a time the King recalls you."

Anthony shut his eyes and let a tear roll onto his cheek.

He had never thought he was going to have it so good.

"I thank you for my deliverance, my lord."

"May I ask you something, sir?"

The pale knight nodded. "Naturally."

"Why did you do it? Why marry the daughter of the King without permission?"

He was sure that the man before him had been unable to predict that things would turn out the way that they had. He had put his life on the line when he had taken Edith for his own.

X x x

Tom knew he and the Princess were getting closer than they should. Hell, by rights she should not even know his name. But she did.

However, he did not think he had known just how close she felt to him until that day, when she had come running out of the castle with tears in her eyes and sought sanctuary in his arms.

"The last few days have been horrible," she said as she threw herself at him.

He had tried so hard to push any thoughts of her out of his mind. He had seen what had happened to Pamuk and the last place in the world he - or any man - wanted to end up was on the scaffold.

But she had come to him for help.

And she was more than beautiful - she was smart and brave and everything he admired.

How was he meant to stop holding her when she was holding him so close? Running a hand down her hair, he tried to shush her.

He had heard the rumours. The excitement of the return of the Princess Edith had been tempered by the sting of her fresh marriage. Things had not gone well with Sir Anthony from what had reached his ears.

"I have wanted to come and see you and my little mare for days but Mama has needed me to be there with Edith - she has been distraught and we still do not know what is happening and - "

"Shhh," he said as he led her out of sight of the other stable hands, into one of the stables. It was the only place they were going to be able to be safe from prying eyes.

Tears leaked down her face as their foreheads pressed together.

She was not sure when she had realised that what she felt for him was deeper than what she felt for anyone else. She was not even sure how that was possible.

The only time she had ever spent with him was when he had been teaching her to ride. But he had spoken to her as if - as if she was his equal.

Pulling back from him a little, she sighed. The two of them knew the consequences of what they were doing -

But he could not help but kiss her forehead protectively and allow his lips to linger there as she stayed close to him.

"You are my best friend."

Sometimes she thought he was her only real friend. There was Imogene - but she was such a young lady. The Princess might be higher than her in some ways but - Sybil knew who she was and she was a tom boy - she was always going to be. And sitting around sewing was never going to be enough for her.

That was why she had begun to learn to ride. She had a thirst for life.

She wanted to be active. And Tom allowed her to do that.

"Are the two of us allowed to be friends?" he asked.

She did not think so. But for a moment, one solitary moment, she wanted to believe the lie that was on the tip of her tongue. Her mother was friends with the Lady O'Brian. Her father was friends with the Lord Chancellor. Mary was friends with Anna.

Yes they were all higher up the social scale and of noble birth in one way or another.

But they were all servants of the royal family. And so was Tom.

She nodded.

"Yes -" she said with a nervous smile.

He heard the lie; he knew the truth. But maybe he was still young enough to indulge in this fantasy just once.

Putting his arms about her, he held her closer. The two of them could do no more that day.

But he knew in his heart he was not going to be able to give her up. Not now. She had got scared and she had got sad.

And in order to find some normality she had run to **him.** And that was not something he was going to be able to simply put out of his head.

X x x

She felt as if she was unable to breathe. The world made no sense - it was as if every star in the sky had been put out and they were never going to shine so bright for her again.

Tears trickled down the cheeks of Lady Strallan as she knelt before her statue of her idol.

By all that was holy, she would never sin again. As long as no harm came to him.

If the world lost Anthony Strallan - if she lost him... it was unbearable.

She had been sitting quite still when she felt the hand on her arm - knowing instinctively that it was not his, she did not turn. She barely acknowledged it.

"Edith."

"Mama," she said in reply, something dead within the tone.

"Child, they tell me you have not eaten in the last twenty four hours. You are not going to be any good to your husband half alive."

"And is he going to be? Alive, I mean?"

"I cannot lie to you, dear daughter. The mercy of your father has not always been kind to me of late, but I believe he loves you."

"So you do not think all is lost?"

"Indeed I do not," she said as she offered her a hand and helped her up. The two royal women looked one another in the eye.

"You have not had a bath since you have been back either. Perhaps you could draw my daughter one," she said as she turned to one of the maids who nodded and bowed.

"Mama, I know it - "

"You knew what you were doing. You should have trusted to your father's promise, but what is done is done. Now you have to be strong and trust to his mercy, whether you can or not. He is your last hope."

"Is there no word?"

"Your father sent the Lord Chancellor to your husband earlier today. No doubt he took news to Anthony as to his fate. We can only wait," Cora admitted to her with a sigh.

"Mama, I do not understand why you do not go to Papa again," Edith said as her mother began to undress her like a lady-in-waiting instead of a queen.

Her mother put her fingers to her daughter's lips in a simple gesture which told her daughter to hold her tongue. That she would tell her in a moment.

Edith changed into her bathing gown and walked through to the chamber where her mother had had a bath installed. Once it was filled, she got in, and on any other day she would have allowed the warm water to soothe her frayed nerves. As it was, she was too uptight, too tense - too scared.

"I would have a moment with my daughter." Cora ordered the maids out.

The door shut behind them, and Cora felt for the first time really, the two of them were able to speak freely.

"This is not the same place you left," Cora said as she filled the jug and then began to spill it into the bath, not bothering for it to wash her daughter.

Edith recognised what she was doing - she had seen others do it in her childhood. She was trying to escape the spies of Whitehall. The sound of the cascading water was going to protect them.

"Mama - "

"You must have seen the Lady Moorsum since you have returned?" Cora asked her.

Her daughter shook her head. "I have heard that name a lot but I have not seen the lady herself."

"She is your father's mistress."

Edith shook her head. She knew what her mother was trying to communicate to her - but it would not sink in somehow.

"There have been others."

"The others did not pose a threat to us, you, your sisters and I."

"She does?"

Cora nodded. "I have done all I can for Anthony - and for you too. I do not know what your father is going to do next - but I would ask that if you remain at court... and I do not, that you look out for Sybil..." she had already asked the same of Mary and by extension the Duke. The two of them, at least, would remain.

"Mama, no."

"Yes, child. It is the only way - I have offered your father what he wants - in return for what you want. Let us hope he takes the bait."

Edith nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek and for the first time, it was not a tear for Anthony. But for her mother... and what she had had to give up in order for her to be happy.

And the knowledge it may not even work.

"She could never replace you - never!" Edith told her mother as she looked at her.

"For what it is worth, I agree." Cora said as she cupped her daughter's cheek and tenderly stroked it with her thumb. "Where there is life there is hope."

Edith nodded as she leant into her mother's hand.

"Now, let the two of us get you ready for the world. Whatever comes to you, you are going to meet this as who you are. You are going to meet the world as Lady Edith Strallan, Dowager Queen of France and the daughter of the King of England."

When her mother said that, Edith felt as if she had the strength within her to face whatever came.

For good or for ill.

X x x

Anthony returned to the castle under the cover of night. He was not sure how many days it had been since he had been taken downstream in a small boat but the one thing he was able to say with real certainty was that he had not thought he was going to be returning so soon.

He had thought his life was over. All the dreams he and Edith had dared to dream on their way home had been torn from him. Their life together was meant to be a beautiful thing.

And so it would be again. He knew she was accustomed to a certain style of living and he was not sure Loxley was going to live up to that. It was meant to be a nice summer house for the two of them when they had not joined the King to go on progress. He had been enough of a fool to hope that they were going to be able to live at court for the majority of the year on their return.

But as long as the two of them had one another than that was all which truly mattered. That was what his time in the Tower had taught him.

He walked down the corridor to the room which he knew was going to take him back to his wife and he was only too aware of the fact that he was very much being watched. It might be night but he did not think that anyone was truly ever alone when they were in this viper's nest...

Suddenly he felt it was not just the King whom he had betrayed but the whole of the court. That was how they made him feel. There were going to be plenty of people who lived there who were going to miss the presence of the Lady Edith when the two of them went back to what could now only be called their home.

But at the end of the day none of the others mattered.

The only ones who did were the two of them.

And he was forced to the conclusion that Loxley was going to be the safest place for the two of them...

"Sir Anthony Strallan," he was announced into the apartments of his darling wife.

He was barely in the room when she flung herself back into his arms, and he received her gratefully.

"I thought I was never going to get to see you again!" she said as she nuzzled into him, as she relished the feeling of his arms about her...

She had - well, she had nearly gone out of her mind when she had been all on her own.

Pulling back she kissed his lips as tears streaked down his face. Perhaps she had wept as much as she could when the two of them had been apart - but she found she had none to shed now that the two of them were back together.

For what was to cry about?

"Oh my darling," she sighed as she wiped his tears away.

"Are you well, my lady? Have you been hurt?" Anthony asked her desperately.

She shook her head. "I have been with my Mama for most of the time, she has looked after me," Edith told her husband.

Once more their lips collided.

"The two of us have to leave court," Edith said between breathless kisses.

"I do not care where the two of us have to go as long as we go there together," he sighed as she buried her face in his doublet.

Sighing happily, Anthony ran his hands through her hair. His beautiful, beautiful girl...

As long as he had her in his arms then they were going to survive this. He sighed once more as she held onto him almost too tightly.

But he was not going to let her go. Not now ... not ever.

The two of them remained embracing for quite some time.

X x x

"I realise I have not quite been on top of my duties of late... but I do not think I knew just how much I had taken my eye off of the ball until now," said Lady Hughes as Sybil returned to her apartments.

For many days, Carson had been at the front of her mind. She did care for him - more than ever of late.

Yet she had to remain focused on the Princess. She was her charge. She had to come above the Lord Chancellor as much as he might need her.

"Lady Hughes, I am not aware of what you're talking about," said Sybil as she looked at her sewing demurely.

"You were seen going down to the stables today. We are both aware that you do not ride so I am forced to the conclusion that you have developed a more than inappropriate friendship, though how you were able to do it for the life of me I cannot work out."

Sybil's eyes fell to the ground.

"But I can ride. Or at least I am learning to, so that when we go on progress in the summer, I can surprise Papa and Mama," she told her innocently.

Lady Hughes shifted uneasily in her seat. She knew the girl. She knew every shade in her.

That meant she knew when she was lying.

"You are a young woman, and I know the passions that can bring about. Mayhap you are learning to ride, for which I commend you. But you have just seen what happened to Pamuk, and now to dear, noble Sir Anthony. Princess, a stable hand - he is the most insignificant being in this castle. So easily replaced."

She shook her head and in that moment she knew she had betrayed everything she had said beforehand. Yet the biggest problem was she knew the Lady Hughes was speaking nothing but the truth to her for if there was a single man in the castle who was utterly replaceable then it was Tom Branson.

But he was not irreplaceable to her.

"My dear," Lady Hughes said to her in a softer tone than before, knowing the last thing in the world which was going to achieve her goal was to yell at the lady who sat before her looking as if she wanted the ground to swallow her up.

"If you do have a care for this boy, whoever he is then you will let him be. Better that he lives without your love - so that at the very least he can live."

The two of them looked one another in the eye.

"When you are growing up - no one ever tells you how much love can hurt... the last few weeks, not just days. Mama has lost Papa's heart. She thinks I do not see it but I do. And I know Anthony only just kept his head on his shoulders... it is on the lip of every courtier; they were saying it was a pity he did not die so that my sister could make a better marriage. They say that all Papa's hope for allies now rest on my shoulders... that is quite a burden... and the only thing I want is someone to share that burden with. He is my friend, Lady Hughes!"

"These matters should be beyond your concern."

"They were... until now. Suddenly, I feel as if I am learning what it is to be truly royal; and I do not like it very much. If only Papa had never won the crown."

"You will make yourself as treasonable as those books the two of us read," Mrs Hughes whispered as the two of them clasped one another's hand.

"Then the two of us will sink or swim together."

"But the boy Sybil?"

The Princess swallowed. For a moment she had to breathe to keep herself steady, to keep her thoughts straight. Of late, even though she had not seen a lot of him, she felt she was closer than ever before to Tom. But Edith's husband had only just escaped with his head. And she was not going to allow anyone to die for her. "If it be your will, then I will give him up."

"I do think that is going to be for the best."

X x x

"Mama, can I present a friend to you?" asked Mary as she swept into the apartments, practically not waiting for the Queen to answer her question.

Cora had to smile. Whether she stayed or left, it struck her at that moment that Jane was never going to be able to be Queen of this court, for Mary was surely going to fill that role. Ever since she had been able to walk, the Princess had oozed her royal station everywhere she went.

Standing up, she gave a gracious nod.

"He was at court a while back and I think you may remember him," Mary nodded to the door.

In walked a broad man, with reddish hair and piercing blue eyes in rich cloth. Oh yes, Cora was sure this was a man who had power in the city. He might not be a power house at court but she saw just by looking into his eyes that that was something he was willing to work on.

She had asked her daughter to help her... and she had brought her someone who was willing to play the game.

Of that Cora was sure before he had so much as opened his mouth.

"Sir Richard?" the Queen asked as the memory of this man came back to her.

"It is an honour to meet with you like this, your majesty," he said as he bowed to her and took her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine to receive you. I trust you are well, and Lady Carlisle too?"

There was a silence in the room. Mary looked to the ground. "The Lady Francesca passed away, not this year but last."

"I am so terribly sorry to hear of it," the Queen said with genuine sympathy. She did not have many memories of her but she did remember a woman who was not afraid to speak her mind. "Come sit down," Cora invited him and it was not long until the three were crowded round together. "I take it you have returned to court for the wedding of my eldest daughter."

"Yes, your majesty _- officially_," he added on the end so she knew that the two of them were on the exact same page.

Cora smile and turned to one of her ladies-in-waiting.

"Please, bring some wine. Sir Richard and I have much to discuss."

_Please review!_


	13. Chapter 13

As ever, thank you to the wonderful Baron Munchausen!

**Chapter 13**

After her meeting with Mary's friend, Cora found she had a lot to think about.

There was only so much that a man of the printing press like Richard Carlisle was going to be able to do for a woman in Cora's position and she knew that. She was not such a fool as to think he was going to be able to protect her from the King. But even a discarded queen was a queen and he knew if he had her in his house then he was going to have some pull at court.

The idea of being as pawn to him was repulsive to her of course. But then she had to ask herself if she had ever been anything else.

If she as just a pawn, was it only aggravating her now because he was what she perceived to be a lesser man, a poorer man than those who had decided to move her across the board before? And if that was the case then, it was no longer enough to stop her putting herself in his power.

"You are still going to be the Queen of England in the eyes of the people, Mama," said Mary as the two of them walked across the banks of the Thames.

Cora wondered when her daughters were going to stop saying such things to her.

They were worth no more to her than the sweet nothings their father had said to her once upon a time when he had been the fairy tale prince of her dreams.

"I am going to be the woman who was once Queen."

"It may not even happen."

"As soon as you are married to Matthew it will, my dear - and the two of us must find a way to square with that."

"Then I will not marry him."

"Yes, you will. I have already had to lose Edith due to her father's displeasure; must I lose you too?" the Queen asked. Once more she had had to say goodbye to her beauty when she had left with her husband for their estate the day before. Edith had shed few tears when she had had to leave court this time. The Queen was sure the over whelming emotion her second daughter was feeling right then was still relief. The loss of her place at court was nothing compared to what the loss of her husband would have been like. So Edith was able to survive this.

Her majesty did not know if that was the case for herself.

"For so long the five of us were a family - and now it is all changing, isn't it?"

"I fear it is."

X x x

Edith felt her breath catch in her throat as she looked at Loxley for the very first time. Set back from the road by about a mile, on the other side of the trees there was nothing but greenery and the river Cray to be seen. There was something perfect about that moment - she was not sure she could put her finger on it.

"It is a beautiful house," she smiled as her husband leaned across and stroked a strand of her hair out of her face.

"Yes - it is. And now, once more, it has a beautiful mistress. Here there will be no debating who is Queen. There could only ever be one."

"Mama's troubles are going to die down soon, I am sure of it. Papa loves her and he is going to remember it," she said to herself more than to him.

"Well, their concerns are not ours any more, my dear."

No, his main concern was that they were going to have to find a way to heat the house.

With his reduced income, he knew it was not going to be as easy as it had been once upon a time. And he was not going to let her go cold.

"I do suppose we have enough of our own to be getting on with," she sighed.

"Do not be disheartened."

"I am not - I just wish I was with Mary right now. She is going to be wed before the month is out and I am not going to be there..." as her sister, she wished she could be by her side. "But at least I have you, and that is all I really need."

He nodded. That was something he was able to agree with.

"Let the two of us go down to the house - we need to get this Queen into her castle."

She smiled and side by side, Sir Anthony and his lady headed home, to their own kingdom.

Safe and sound.

X x x

"You know, do you not, sweetheart, why I have asked you to come here today?"

Mutedly, the brunette shook her head.

"Can you think of no cause?"

"No, but if I have displeased your majesty then it would be my greatest displeasure."

"And how could you displease me, sweetheart?"

Jane finally dared to look at the King. Ever since the Princess Edith had done what she had, she had feared she was going to lose her place at court, a thought which had not entirely upset her. She missed her son and she felt so far away from him. And she knew what a dangerous place court was.

"I do not know... I am just a woman and not well born -"

"You have not in the least displeased me."

That was when a smile crossed her face.

That was when she began to dream higher than she had ever before.

"Then I am here to make you happy, my lord?" she asked as she took the arm he was offering.

"Every day since you have come back to court, you have made me happy, my dearest Jane," he told her as the two of them strolled into the gardens together.

That day was beautiful - all the signs suggested spring had turned to summer now. The heat pounding down on Jane's back warmed her thoroughly.

Or was it simply that she had the love of her lord?

Suddenly, she felt a true pity for the Queen. To lose this would be unthinkable. And that was exactly what the Queen had done. And she knew... suddenly she knew in her heart why he had asked her to come walking with him that day.

"You must know," he said as he put one of his hands over hers. "What it is you have come to mean to me, my dear."

"As you have come to mean the entire world to me, your majesty," she said looking at him with her bright eyes.

"It is going to be no surprise to you then if I were to tell you I was very much - unhappy with the Queen."

He did not know why the words tasted as a lie did to him. The image of her coming to him, dressed in all her finery so pleased for Edith was before his eyes in that moment. No, she had not been born to be the Queen of England but in that moment... it was as if she had been. Those were the types of thoughts he had to keep from his head then and he knew it...

Yes, for many years Cora had been his Queen. But her reign was at an end. And if he had his way then Jane's was about to begin.

"My lord?" the woman at his side asked at his side, drawing him out of his thoughts.

Robert saw there was no good to be found it skirting about the issue.

He had a question for the lady - and instead of just dancing around it like a school boy, it would be far more proficient to just ask her what he wanted to.

"Lady Jane, would you consent to marry me - will you be my queen?"

She felt her lips curl into a smile immediately... all the rumours she had heard... all the times she had dared to dream this was the moment she and her King were heading towards.

She nodded - and yet the moment she did, she felt another more pressing emotion.

And that was fear. Fear for her life... as soon as the two of them were married, she had to get down to the task at hand. Which was to give the King the one thing Cora had not been able to. A son. A healthy, living son.

Yes, she was afraid. But as the King took her in his arms and named her his angel, she had to smile once more. The two of them were not married yet - and she had produced a son before. As ever, it was her Frederick who gave her hope. If she had done it once, then she was going to be able to do it again. The King, whose lips had found their way to her neck as the two of them spun about, drew back and kissed her.

The day of the wedding was going to be Cora's final day as Queen, for the days of Queen Jane of England were imminent.

X x x

"I do not see why I have to go to see the Duchess of Manchester. It is Mary who is going to be her daughter-in-law, not I," said Sybil as she and the Lady Hughes headed out to the coaches.

"She is the _Dowager _Duchess of Manchester and you have to go because she has been good enough to invite you, my dear, that is why."

"I shall barely have anything to do with her," Sybil protested.

Lady Hughes rolled her eyes. It had been many days since Sybil had been so stubborn - in fact, it was quite out of character for her to protest so much. Had the Duchess not been the mother of the future King of England she would not have all but pushed her out of the door.

But she was. And she had to go.

"In any case," the governess said as they walked along. "You must go to her, my girl."

"Can I not plead some indisposition?"

"No, as we have already established you cannot," she reminded her.

Sybil rolled her eyes as she sighed and then turned her eyes to the floor, uncharacteristically. She was not normally a petulant child. However, she knew the day was going to be gruelling. Somehow, she was going to have to get through it though.

It got much harder though when she saw who was holding the horses that were going to pull them to the Duchess's .

She had not been to see Tom in days. Not since the Lady Hughes had said to her... what she had. She had to stay away from him... she was not going to be the cause of his death.

She was not going to...

But it hurt. It hurt for the two of them to be so far apart, even when she was the one who was putting the distance between them. Even when she full well knew she was doing it for all of the right reasons... especially when she saw the look on his face.

He was clearly desperate to talk to her... poor soul; they could not - not when there were other people around.

"Mayhap I can go and see my friend just one more time... to say goodbye," said Sybil as the two of them climbed into the carriage.

It was torture for her to be so close to him and to not...

"Princess, you have made the break, leave it at that," insisted Lady Hughes.

"But ... I miss him."

"It will ache less in time..."

"Is there no more... no other way..."

"I do not think so." She said as she clapped the top of the carriage to move the two of them off. "Let it go."

As they rode off, Sybil took one final glance at Tom. Their eyes met for a moment and she had to hope that he knew what she was trying to say.

That she did not want the two of them to be apart. That she did not want to fall silent on him. That she missed being in his arms.

She had only been there once... but it felt like home.

It was only when they turned the corner that the two of them broke eye contact. And as soon as they did, Sybil felt tears pool in her eyes. Because being this far from him was the last thing in the world she wanted.

X x x

Though it had taken its time in arriving, the night before the wedding eventually arrived.

Standing in one another's arms, the first born Princess of England and the Duke of Manchester smiled each other.

The two of them were very much aware of the fact this was her last night in these apartments. New ones had been designed for the two of them to share... they would share quarters from then onwards... their life together was about to begin.

"This is the last time I am going to see you before you are my bride. I cannot tell you how excited I am," said Matthew as he and Mary held one another.

"As am I, my darling."

Ever since the day when she had tried on her wedding gown for the first time it had been real to her. It had been real to her that they were going to be man and wife. And he was going to be able to come to her bed... and the two of them were going to be allowed to do all the things that men and women did when the two of them were married.

She was not precisely sure what they did do ... she would have to go to the Queen and ask before...

But she was sure it was going to be wonderful...

"Before you go," she asked as she turned solemn for just a moment. "You must make me a promise."

"Anything."

"You do not know what I am going to ask you yet."

"And yet I still say I would do anything."

Her lips pulled into a small and sad smile. "Just promise me that the two of us - our marriage and our reign is going to be in a very different manner to my parents."

"Darling, the two of us are going to be wildly different to the two of them."

"And what if I do not give you a son?" she murmured as he drew her closer still.

"Then we will cherish our daughter and love her... how could I not love our daughter when she is no doubt to be so very much like her mother."

She was very well aware that it was easy for him to say those words to her right then. The two of them were young... and she flattered herself that the two of them were very much in love. But for now, they were the only words she wanted to hear. The two of them were on the edge of the biggest day of their lives.

And so she would take the sweet nothings he offered and smile.

For the next day, at least, was hers. Perhaps she was going to be able to forget about her mother, her father, Jane and the line of succession. Perhaps for the next day at least, the only thing that mattered... was them.

X x x

The advantage of the cold was huddling to keep warm.

Having a fire in the corner of the room warmed the two of them slightly, but the majority of warmth Edith felt was her husband's body heat. The two of them had gone to bed that night as man and wife... and she had enjoyed doing all the things... all the pleasures marriage brought.

Now, she lay curled about his side, with his hand on her back, gently rubbing circles upon a tender spot. The two of them gazed at one another, still not quite sure how they had got to that moment, yet ever so grateful that they had.

"It seems funny to me now," she whispered.

"What does, darling?"

"That in order to punish me, my father sent me away with the man I love, to a house where we could... love," she ended gently.

A chuckle escaped him. "And are you suffering greatly?" he asked as he nudged her nose playfully.

"Words can't describe my agony."

"And would you like to be punished again?"

Laughter burst from the Princess before she could stop it. Biting her lip, she nodded and rolled on top on her husband.

"Very much so."

**Please review!**

Author Note - I am afraid this was a 'filler' chapter somewhat, bridging the gap between Edith's story taking a back seat and Mary's coming to the forefront. The wedding is going to dominate the next chapter and the events that take place on the wedding night will really set a cat among the pigeons. It should be up within the next two weeks with any luck - drafting has already begun!


	14. Chapter 14

Bow down to **Baron Munchausen** - he's cleaned this chapter up nicely as ever!

**Chapter 14**

Mary awoke on the day of her wedding, filled with nerves. Normally, she was not one for going in for such an emotion... nor would she ever be if she had her way.

Yet, in the most peculiar way, she enjoyed the sensation that day. It was not just simply anxiety which she felt. It was excitement about what was to come her way... and what was going to follow it. That night she was going to go to bed as Matthew's wife and the two of them were going to lay down side by side.

And then the two of them would...

"Anna," she called as she swung her legs out of bed.

"You're up, my lady!" she had clearly thought the Princess was going to sleep in for a while longer. She had almost hoped she was going to - Mary had a long day ahead of her and she was going to need some strength and rest to face it.

"Of course, I am up. I have a wedding to get ready for!"

The two girls who had grown up together smiled at one another...

"Today has to be utterly perfect."

Robert knew this day began an end and a beginning of an era. He had known that before he had so much as got up that day. It was the last time Mary was going to be his daughter before she was a wife. But more than that, it was the very last day that Cora was going to be his own wife, publically. The date of the end of their marriage could now be counted in days rather than weeks.

Twenty years of the two of them being side by side... The two of them trying to do what they had been for twenty years... to have a son. It should have been the simplest of tasks. But it wasn't.

And now... it was all over and it was a hard thing to let go of. It was not easy to admit the two of them had not succeeded, even if he had no choice but to do so...

"Bates," He called as he got out of bed with considerable effort, a little earlier than normal. He sat on the edge and sighed.

"Yes, milord?" he said as he came into the privy chamber.

"Bring me my breakfast," he ordered.

Just like the Princess, he had a wedding to get ready for her - but unlike her, the overwhelming emotion he felt was not excitement.

He was not even sure what he should call it. There had been a time once when he had been young and noble and he had made so many plans. And when he had been young it had been so easy to believe that they were all going to come true, just because he willed it so.

That day it felt as if none of them ever had... and now he found himself on the edge of the last chance... if he and Jane did not conceive, a son of his would never take the throne...

And that was something he did not wish to think about and deep down, he knew he should not be thinking about. For that day at least, he had to focus on Mary.

X x x

"Oh my darling, you do look so very handsome," said the mother of the groom, smiling at her only child. Yes. He had done her very proud indeed.

Matthew had known his mother was going to be a little emotional on the day of his wedding. He had known they all were... but he had not known just how emotional he himself would feel.

This day had been a long time in the coming. He recalled how against it he had been in the very beginning - when he had been told there was a chance he was going to marry the princess... how he had been utterly unable to imagine being with Mary and forever separated from his gentle Lavinia.

He still felt a degree of guilt when he recalled the girl, who come what may, was always at least going to be his sweetheart... the two of them had had such a wonderful time together... and it had been she who had taught him how to love.

Yet, the passion and the strength of the feelings he had for Mary were an utterly new world for him. They had been through a lot together in quite a short space of time, he mused silently, as his man helped him with his doublet.

Matthew remembered those first few days when the two of them had been so far apart. It seemed ridiculous to him_ now_ that they had both been so against the marriage. He had been sure she was never going to find a way to come round to the idea of the two of them being together... and then the night when there had at last been a thawing between them and he had learnt he was going to take baby steps with his baby bird. When she had found him reading...

And then, **that** night - when he had caught Pamuk trying to do what he ... still, even though the man was dead, Matthew could not recall the incident without a fury spreading throughout his entire body.

He did not think he had ever felt like that before... as if he would literally kill to keep someone safe... and yet in the aftermath...

It had changed everything. First, he had done the important thing and he had won over her trust. It was only a matter of time after that, that he had gained her love, something which he was grateful for every day.

Matthew turned from the mirror to face his mother.

"Come - I do not think it is quite done for the man who is to be the King of England to cry with his mother on the morning of his wedding."

But for, perhaps the first time, since the two of them had arrived in London; Isobel found that was the last thing on her mind.

He was her son. Her only child.

And he was about to marry the most amazing woman.

The Dowager Duchess of Manchester could not help but think what a good match they were... the two of them would be happy.

"Blast that, my darling boy!" she said as she crossed to his side and took him into her arms.

It struck her that this was the last time he was going to be her son before he was a member of the Royal Family. And that thought made her hold him just a little tighter.

X x x

"My Lady, you do look so very lovely," said Lady O'Brian as she placed the crown Cora had chosen for the day's events on her head.

If this was to be her last, then it was going to be a magnificent last... of that she was sure.

"Dear O'Brian, you have always been so sweet to me," said Cora as she turned and looked at her, taking the hand of her good and faithful lady. "You have always been so loyal and true to me."

"And I am going to be no matter where the two of us go after today," she said with a perfect clarity of the situation the two of them found themselves in. "I am going to stay with you. I refuse to leave you."

"I do not think I can ask that of you, my dear," Cora shook her head.

"Sir Richard Carlisle is not going to take me away from you - he will not..."

"No, he will not! As kind as dear Sir Richard has been to me, he is not going to have that much power if I have my way. No... I... I have to make this clear - you have to think through your own next move. If you do follow me, then you are going to be going out into the wilderness... for after today, that is going to be the only place there is room for me."

"If that is where you are then that is where I belong as well," said Sarah with surety.

There was no trace of doubt in her voice and for the lady; Cora knew this matter was very much settled. She was going to go with her and serve her, come hell or high water. She had tried to succeed in saving her from Jane, but she had failed. Thus, when the next great threat came to her mistress, she was going to make sure she was there to protect her.

She would not fail again.

"I do not know where I would be without you. You are going to stay with me today, aren't you?" she said as she caressed her cheek.

"You know you do not have to ask me to do that."

Twenty minutes later, the Queen found herself at the bottom of the stairs which led to her chambers, with O'Brian and some of her other ladies. Sybil was also there.

Cora smiled on sight of her youngest daughter - and yet the poor child was also a reminder of the member of their family who could not be there. The mother found herself longing for Edith once more.

"Darling, you look so very pretty," she said as she noted her daughter was in another new gown, similar to the one she had worn the night they had celebrated the arrival of Pamuk.

"Thank you mama - and so do you," she said as she curtsied.

Cora knew the two of them were going out on parade that day - the whole Royal Family, save the absent members, were.

But for now the two of them were behind closed doors. Thus, she went to the side of her daughter and she took her into her arms. She was so young and she was so precious. If Cora could grant her one wish for all her life long, it would be her innocence. The two drew back, but not for some time. Sybil loved the Lady Hughes for all she had done for her since she had come under her jurisdiction. But she was never going to be her mother. She was never going to make her feel safe the way her mother did.

"Lets us go," said the Queen at last, touching her daughter's cheek for just a moment.

X x x

Robert held his tongue when he saw his Mary on her wedding day for the very first time. He had no idea when she had grown up into such a beauty. The last time he had looked she had been a little girl.

The Princess was dressed in a sweeping gown of gold, upon her head sat one of her mother's tiaras... a gift from a proud mother to her darling first born, who for that day alone would be a disappointment to no one... least of all her husband to be.

She felt her stomach flip at the mere thought of his name.

Maybe it was because Edith had always been there to out shine her, or maybe it was just the fact she was a very blushing bride... But the King did not think he had ever seen Mary so beautiful. And it scared him.

Robert was King and he knew his will was the will of God. It was always going to be until the day he died a very natural death. But in his heart of hearts, he knew what he had in mind was not going to be the will of the population. There would be disruption.

And here, before his very eyes, stood one even he could call Queen. Here was a woman his people could call Queen.

Suddenly, this marriage did not make him feel safe at all. It did the opposite.

In his mind, as suspicious as he was, his daughter and her husband to be were suddenly rivals to his crown, not help mates. And he was no fool. He saw how young and golden the two of them were going to be.

Potentially, they could take all he had worked for from him.

It was her voice which brought him back to his senses. "How do I look papa?" she asked with a smile upon her lips and in spite of all the dark thoughts which were circling his mind, he found his lips turning upwards.

Fear remained however.

"You look every inch a queen."

To her mind, it was a compliment but to his own, it was a threat...

Robert knew there was nothing more to be done about it then though - he did not know from where he managed to raise a smile for Mary once more but he did.

"Let us go," he said to her gently as he offered her his arm... the two of them set off down the corridor with Anna in their wake.

X x x

It seemed to Mary that the widespread excitement that had taken place on the ride to the Chapel Royal with her father was in direct contrast to the wedding itself. Whereas on the way to the Chapel, she had seen so many faces alight with excitement over what was to come for her, there were few inside.

Only those who were needed - and for her, that was enough.

Later in the day, she and Matthew were going to be able to celebrate their nuptials with the rest of the court. But the ceremony was to be simple and intimate, with those she and Matthew loved the most there.

It was the back of his head she saw first that day.

And as soon as she did, she felt her heart soar and her stomach flutter. Because that day he was not the Duke. He was not the man who had come to steal her crown.

He was just her groom. And in no time at all he was going to be her husband.

The man she was to wed and spend the rest of her life with... and who she was going to make a very happy man.

The walk to his side seemed to take a lifetime. The face of the King was set. The face the public were going to see that day was not his true emotions, yet there were some days she doubted he had any true emotions anymore after what he was doing to her mother.

It was in the end Matthew's hands which brought her back from her thoughts.

She looked to her side and drank in his face for the first time - and the joy of knowing the two of them had so much ahead of them and there was so much they were still to enjoy was more thrilling for her than she was ever going to be able to put into words. They had so many firsts and so many new experiences to look forward to.

To living as man and wife, to having children and to making the land that they loved absolutely safe.

X x x

If the feasts to welcome the Duke and the Ottoman attaché to court had been grand events, the Royal Wedding was on another scale altogether. The court was decorated in spring colours, as benefitted the occasion, though summer was fast arriving in all its glory. The flowers matched the gown of the bride and as she sat beneath an archway of gold with her husband, she was nothing short of a goddess that day. There was a sense that the bride and groom were untouchable ... as if nothing and no one could interrupt what the two of them felt for one another...

"They look so happy," said Anna as she smiled by John's side. As ever when the court was together the two of them had almost unconsciously sought one another out...

Matthew laughed at something his wife had said to him softly before he raised her hand to his lips to kiss it.

"Yes."

"I do believe he loves her."

"Who could doubt it? It is in his every action - the way he looks at her and what he says..." it was only then that she was able to feel the weight of his eyes looking at her... daringly, Anna returned the gaze.

There was so much she did not know about John Bates...

And she did not know how good she was at reading him... but not long after she first looked at him his gaze became too heavy for her to withstand without blushing.

"In spite of your leg, can you dance, sir?"

"I only wish that I could," he admitted to her.

"Why should that be the case? Is there some pretty young maiden you would spin about the floor today?" she dared.

His face only softened further once she looked back to him. She saw him look about the court for a moment before he drew closer to her and said into her ear: "you know there is."

X x x

"It is a proud day for you, Lord Carson," said the Lady Hughes as she arrived at his side.

Ever since he had come only so close to revealing his heart to her... she had had a care for him. And that went for that day, almost more than any of the others. The fact that the Lady Jane had not been among her majesty's ladies and the fact that a perceptive eye could see there was something a little melancholy about these nuptials signalled an end to the lady.

She had a feeling she knew what end it was going to be.

But the Lord Chancellor was clearly happy, for the Princess Mary, if for no one else.

"Yes - yes, it is. I do not deny that she could have done better than a common duke, but I do think he is going to make her rather happy."

"Yes," the lady agreed as she turned to see the two of them laughing and dancing. She was not sure if she would refer to a grandson of a king as a common duke, but she'd let it slide. "I do think that he is."

That was when his lordship turned his eyes to look at the lady governess. Really look at her. She knew. Of course she knew. The two of them had a care for one another and somewhere in his heart he had a feeling he was going to be able to make her happy.

But only if he had the courage to speak out.

"Lady Hughes, may I speak with you?"

With an almost - almost - flirtatious confidence, she nodded. "Is that not what the two of us have just done?"

But one look in his eye told her that this was no laughing matter.

He had a question for her... or something. More sincerely, she nodded and took the arm he offered. "Let the two of us go out to the gardens."

_Let us go somewhere the two of us are not going to be interrupted. _

She nodded. "It was all very well done today - in the most difficult of circumstances. I do not think there is a person in the world who could doubt that was in a large part up to you."

"As long as the Princess got the day she deserved I do not suppose anything else mattered," he said as he rubbed his forehead. A sure sign of nerves.

"My lord, whatever it is..."

"Lady Hughes, I don't suppose I need to tell you what high regard I hold you in - nor how much I enjoy your company."

"Lord Carson -"

"I intend to leave court."

Her eyes went wide. For a moment she was unable to comprehend what he had said and why he was telling her this... her initial thought had been that he was going to ask her to...

And then her original idea married his words and the picture became only too clear to her.

Her eyes cast upon his face with sympathy.

"I will go to my house in Wiltshire and there I will retire. The princess is a woman grown and though court is a dangerous place, I find myself in a peculiar position of being able to trust the man she married to protect her. Now allow me to protect you."

She let her eyes fall on the ground before she shut them, He was such a good man. He was so trying...

"I need to be here for Princess Sybil."

"There is going to be someone else who can take care of her."

But there was no one else. Not who knew her like she did. There was no one who understood the Princess's religious leanings as she did, who was going to continue to raise her in the new faith instead of the old.

And then there were the other problems she had been having of late. She knew about them. And so she was the one who was going to be able to help her past them. Besides, for all the fact she had no child of her own, she was amaternal woman.

And if she did have a child of her heart then it was her own little princess. She was sure that was something she should hold true to and loyal.

As much as her heart, for the first time really, was pulling her in a very different direction to the one she was going in, she shook her head. "There is no one," she said it quietly, regretfully.

For just a moment she allowed herself to indulge in what their life could look like if they were to go another way. If she was to become the mistress of his house.

She was going to be able to do her own books and keep her own records and he was going to be able to relax into a well-earned retirement. Then at night he would read to her by the fire before the two of them went to bed together.

And then not even the winter months would seem so cold.

It made her sad to think of... all that they could have was denied to them when the two of them had given their lives in service of others.

"But I do not think there is anyone who can do that quite as well as I can."

"My lady, I beg of you, court is not safe any longer."

"I can defend myself."

She had grown good at doing that. She had known she was going to have to if she was to survive this life...

"It will be a lot harder to do if information about your reading material falls into the wrong hands."

A breath caught in her throat. No matter what she had thought he was going to say if she refused him, she had not thought he was going to say that. Though it gave her no comfort at that moment, there was shame in his eyes as soon as the words left his lips.

"So because I will not do your bidding you would sell my soul to the highest bidder?"

"I will say or do whatever I have to do to keep you safe."

"Well, forgive me, you are the last person I feel safe with now," and with those words, the governess turned from the man who she had thought was her best friend in the world. It was not long before she felt that tears were pooling in her eyes.

If there was one thing he knew it was that he had no one but himself to blame for that remark. It was entirely his own fault... but it did not stop it hurting when the two of them had been moving... closer.

In order that she did not have to look into the face of the man she had once trusted above all others, the governess fled back into the Great Hall where the wedding party was feasting and dancing and happy...

X x x

"Your majesty, would you like to dance?"

"Thank you, Sir Richard. I would love to," Cora said to him as she took his hand and left the side of the King.

She had been surprised by the dynamic between herself and her husband that day. The two had seen so little of one another of late... she had gone to his side to plead for her daughter...

But she had not pleaded for herself and in order to make sure that she never did, she had been careful to stay away from him. He could send her away from himself and the castle if he wanted to.

She did not think she had a choice about that... but she was able to take her pride with her... and that was what she was going to do.

Since he had arrived at court, Cora had learnt Sir Richard was a very hard man to characterise... in fact, as far as she was concerned, he was much more of an enigma than many of the lords and ladies who had come to court to surround her husband... and just because he was a self-made man did not mean he was not intelligent.

He had not only made his own money but he had been sure to make up for his lack of education along the way...

As a result, she had to say, she could well see why Mary was so fond of him. This was a man who could talk about a wide range of subjects, who hunted and danced, if a little stiffly.

Yes... her life with him was going to be nothing if not interesting. And she could accept that.

Bring in the same room for the afternoon as the Lady Moorsum made that so very easy...

Throughout the course of the day Cora had made it her mission not to look at the woman who had come to court to serve her... to be her lady. Whenever the viper came into her eye line, she stared right through her as if she was not even there... everyone and anyone else was received warmly but she was not going to welcome her into her life.

Nor was she going to give anyone the idea she was compliant with what the King was doing. If it had not been for Edith's folly then she would have fought a lot harder than she had for her position.

Indeed, if only he had known how weak she had made her then the King would likely write to thank his second eldest daughter for her service to the crown.

As Cora and Sir Richard danced and laughed with one another, the King sat with the woman who was to be his Queen and, all but ignoring the presence of the lady at his side, he chose to stop lying to himself in that moment.

Because as he watched the two of them dancing, he was jealous. Jane was a good woman and if God was good then he was going to grant the two of them, what he had never given to himself and Cora... but she did not... she was not...

And he did not feel as if the woman next to him, stroking his hand as she held it, belonged to him as the Queen did.

X x x

As Anna helped the Princess get ready for bed that night, the only thing Mary was able to think about was how warm she had felt when she had been dancing with Matthew... how right it had felt whenever he had turned his gaze on her...

A blush rose in her cheeks.

"I am so glad you had a good day, my lady," said Anna as she looked at her.

"I must admit I am going to look back on today with joy - always." It was so perfect in so many ways...

The only blight had been the presence of the Lady Moorsum... her father had commanded she be there with the rest of the court - but if she had had her way...

Mary shook her head. She was not going to allow that vile woman to wreck her day.

Dressed in just a chemise and a robe, she had to say she felt quite exposed as she sat in the unfamiliar chambers which she was from that day to call her own.

With her husband. Their chambers...

"Did you manage to speak with the Queen today, my lady?"

"My mother gave me some advice, yes... but I have no doubt that the Duke and I are going to figure it out," she said to her softly.

"We'll figure out what?" a voice asked from behind the two of them.

The two of them turned and immediately curtseyed. Anna felt a smile tug on her lips as the Princess rose to meet Matthew first.

"Husband," she greeted him smoothly.

"Wife," he replied as the two of them kissed and he wrapped his arms about her...

The priest who had blessed the bed looked to the two of them and the Duke and his new Duchess broke apart and knelt to be blessed.

_Please... give the two of us a son, oh lord, I beg that of you..._

The prayer was on Mary's lips as she knelt with her palms together. She was her mother's child but she did not want to be in every way...

She and Matthew were going to have a very different reign to her mother's and father's, of that she was determined.

As the two of them rose to their feet once more, Matthew nodded to his wife's ladies as well as to the priest.

"I do not think the two of us need to continue in public."

Anna caught the eye of the Princess and then withdrew with the others in the rooms, leaving Matthew and Mary utterly alone.

There was a silence for a moment as the two of them looked at one another.

"What a day it has been," Matthew sighed as he approached her once more, cupping her face. "I shall never forget it my darling," he told her, brushing his lips to her forehead.

"I should hope not..." she smiled as she settled in his arms, blushing a little as she did so.

"If you are too tired tonight then the two of us can wait if that is what you want," he told her... however, he was betrayed by other body parts which indicated that he was very much looking forward to what the two of them were going to do.

But she shook her head.

She did not want to wait. The two of them had done so much waiting. They had had to wait to meet after her father had sent the letter. They had had to wait to like one another when they had both been so suspicious... but more than anything else; the two of them had had to wait to love one another.

And now that they had found one another and were willing to do that she was not going to allow them to wait any more time. That was a thought she just could not stand. All that waiting meant the two of them had wasted time...

X x x

John Bates did not like palace life and now he found he did not always like his majesty. The life he was living then was what had saved him from poverty and certain ruin. But now he knew it came at a price... and he did not know if it had been worth paying it.

As he walked down the corridor, he kept his eyes forward and tried not to think about what he was doing.

He was following an order, that was all, he said as he knocked on the door when they came to it.

It took not ten seconds for the door to creep open, and the Lady O'Brien appeared.

Their eyes met and the two of them knew what was going on. The difference was that the lady wanted to kill the King for what he was about to do. However, years of being at court allowed her to mask her emotions as she turned to the Queen, who had until the door was knocked upon, been attending to her devotions.

"Madam, the King is here."

Cora nodded, the shock not quite as well hidden on her own face as it was on Sarah's...

"Your Majesty," Cora sighed as Robert came into the room in his evening attire.

"My lady."

There was a silence in the room for a moment... complete.

"Ladies, retire," ordered Cora giving a stern looking to Sarah - she was to go too.

The room emptied quickly, shock still reverberating around it as John shut the door behind himself, leaving Cora and Robert alone.

"Is there a reason you have come?" breathed Cora quietly.

"I have come to... to show you my devotion..."

"One last time..." she finished for him. When she had been at the wedding feast she had been able to feel his eyes upon her... she had wondered...

_One last shot... if this is to be our last, then she would make it a glorious last..._

Turning, she removed her night gown, let it drop to the floor and climbed onto the bed in nothing but her chemise - he followed her, but paused before getting into bed.

"How like you this?" challenged Cora.

How like you the fact you have me on borrowed time? How like you Lady Moorsum, in your heart of hearts? How like you the fact that you are setting asunder what God joined together in holy matrimony?

Robert's eyes glazed over for a moment as he became a prisoner of the past...

"My lord... husband?" The Queen called him back to her...

"I ever loved you."

"Then show me," the Queen asked as she throw back the cover.

The King nodded and climbed in beside the Queen. It wasn't long until one of his hands rested upon the small of her back, the other hand was full of her hair and his lips were all over her body.

Silently, Cora prayed - this was her last throw of the dice. This could put her back in the game.

This could change everything.

_Please review!_

**Author Note** - I am so sorry about the delay in getting this out. There are multiple reasons for the delay, but lets just say I really didn't think it would take this long. Thanks for reading : )


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